I Dream of Genie
by Godsliltippy
Summary: Penelope stumbles across a treasure that could bring more frustration than she bargained for. Genie AU! Cause why not XD
1. Chapter 1

Dust and cobwebs. The decor Penelope had grown accustomed to with every ancient estate she found herself exploring was currently clinging to her hair. It was a dreadful feeling that would require a decent soak once she returned to the manor and often dampened any conversations she had with family or friends of the residence.

It wasn't that she disliked the task, however. She quite enjoyed the hunt for the ornate and museum worthy. There was history - treasure that should be shared, not kept locked up in the dark, damp recesses of an old home. World Heritage strived to meet these endeavors head on and with a thorough eye.

Today, Penelope had left Parker in the care of the woman of the house, long since widowed and in need of a change. Dutchess Wellesley had no use for the trinkets collected by her dearly departed and had tasked the London agent with finding anything of historical significance and taking it off to be guarded and admired. The rest was to be sold or discarded if necessary.

"Shame," Penelope's hand traced over the dust encrusted statue of a regal looking pug with a jeweled crown resting on its head. "This would look lovely in the study, don't you think?"

Sherbert gave her an affectionate yip of approval before following his mistress further into the attic. For as webbed and dusty as the place was, she found the boxes and items clearly labeled and organized. Unfortunately, she wasn't finding anything of significance.

Penelope could recall a time she had been invited to an estate in the south of France and been mystified by a single find in a sea of nothing. Lost Monet paintings that would have remained so if she had simply regarded it as worthless as the rest of the stored trinkets. She knew she could do the same here, so it was with a well trained eye, she began her search for a needle in a haystack.

"M'lady?" A voice called to her an hour later and she sighed in defeat. Penelope had opened every box and drawer possible, coming up empty handed. Absolutely, there were some beautiful pieces of furniture and art, but nothing that would make the news.

"I'll be just a moment longer, Parker." Technically, she was finished, but she wanted one last glance over the storage space. It seemed a shame to have so many years worth of antiquities gathered together for the benefit of none. She passed the tiny dog statue, already planning on how to obtain it from the dutchess, when her hand grazed a moderately sized crate. It was one of the few things she wasn't able to examine without her chauffeur's assistance, but as her skin made contact, she felt a cool breeze rush over her fingers and fade just as quickly.

Stock-still in the upper levels of a home older than her family name, Penelope waited for the sensation to repeat itself. A minute and she let her eyes roam the space for any signs of disturbance.

Nothing.

"Peculiar," her fingers came to rest of the old wood once more and she was hit with the sudden scent of salty ocean air. Penelope lifted a thin brow, bending closer to give the box another delicate sniff, but the smell was gone. Decidedly, she took a step back and eyed the conundrum. Ghosts seemed like a preposterous explanation, but she wasn't beyond counting them out.

"Do you need a 'and up 'ere?" Parker missed the jump his intrusion to her focus had caused. Penelope had a habit of adjusting her bracelets and smoothing out the hem of her blouse whenever caught off guard and she did her best to limit the tells as the elder man rounded the corner.

Her mouth opened with the intent of telling her friend she was finished, but curiosity peaked and she found herself entranced by the crate. "Thank you, Parker." She stepped forward and delicate fingers that could incapacitate those she encountered as an agent hovered over the box before she continued. "I can't be certain until it's opened, but I'm quite interested in bringing this one home. What do you think?"

"Very good, m'lady. H'I'm sure you'll be h'able to find somethin' worthwhile h'in there." Parker stepped to the side, giving his charge the space she needed to slip by. "H'I'll 'ave it down to Fab1 momentarily."

"Very good," she moved towards the stairs, turning back to watch as Parker took hold of the box and began moving it into the isle. Penelope watched his face for a sign he had felt or sensed something coming from it. No furrowed brow or halt mid pull. Parker was as he always was - taking care of her needs without question.

She eventually left him to it, finding Dutchess Wellesley to explain what she had found - or hadn't - and discuss the hopeful endeavor that was the crate Parker was carrying out. The woman didn't bat an eye, offering Penelope a gracious smile and an invitation to return once the auction preparations began.

Now, she was home, wrapped in silk after a much desired bath that left the scent of gardenias in the air. The crate sat in the center of her room, waiting patiently for her to lift the lid Parker had undone. She hesitated, though, letting her mind question the possibilities. It was a silly feeling Penelope knew better than to indulge, but there was no danger here. Simply a box of treasure - or rubbish - that she shouldn't think twice about opening.

So, with the few steps it took to reach the crate, she drew in a steadying breath and placed her hand on the open lid. No shock. No strange feeling or smells to alert her to the paranormal. Just a box.

And in that box lay rags and brown paper wrapped neatly around ornate dishes, cups, and saucers. An old teapot, adorned with ivy and lilies centered it all. It wasn't the artifact she had hoped to find, but it would do nicely in her collection.

With those set aside, Penelope returned to the crate to find a box at the bottom. With some effort, she pulled it free and placing it on the table under her window. The sky beyond was a dazzling mix of pinks and oranges fading into deep grayish blue, unlike most evenings on her family's estate. Her attention returned to the box, noting the deep engravings that flowed like streams of water in swirls. Fingers slid around the edges until they snagged on a latch, unclasping it before lifting the lid.

"Really?" Penelope's brow knit as she stared at the box's contents. There was only one item inside, nestled against deep blue satin, a golden cord tied across it to keep it secure. She took each end of the neat bow and pulled, the ropes sliding free with ease. Reaching in, she wrapped her fingers around the thin handle, her other hand taking the base as it came free.

An oil lamp. Simple in design and unornate. Certainly not something that needed a chest of such richness. Penelope suddenly felt foolish as her mind fluttered off to stories she'd read as a child, of princesses, unattainable by the men and boys who fell in love with them. Save for magic.

She shook her head, ready to relinquish the lamp back to its box, but the memory of sea air gave her pause.

Could it really -

Her hands squeezed against the metal, the lady in her fighting against the irrational.

_But what's the harm in trying?_ the voice seemed not her own as her hand rose from the handle and slid over the smooth surface in soft circles.

The ridiculous feeling came back as nothing happened and she dropped the lamp as though it were a curse meant to damage her honor as a lady. Penelope made the quick decision to have it disposed of in the morning.

The crate was another matter and she figured it too could go. The tea set could stay and she bent down to gather it up for safe keeping.

The first blast of wind hit her as she stood and Penelope turned to see if the window had been blown open, but the latch was solidly in place. Warm, ocean scented air continued to buffet against her silk nightgown and she watched as tendrils of blue, yellow, and green smoke began to pour from the spout. It spread over her floor, swirling and sparking with flashes of bright gold. Snakes of smoke shot up towards the chandelier, darting in and around, intertwining through Tiffany crystals. They fell into a typhoon of brightly colored gases, swirling and growing as they forced Penelope to step back into the post of her bed. The roar of wind and waves seemed to fill the room and the cups she'd been holding crashed to the floor as the clouds burst out. Her arms covered her face to block the spray of mist that showered over her, the smell of sea water assaulting her nostrils.

The cacophony continued a few more heart pounding seconds before everything stilled. All Penelope could heart was her own breathing under the rush of blood in her ears and for a moment, she considered running straight from the room. What the hell had just happened?

Against her better judgement, however, Penelope slowly lowered her arm.

Sapphire grew wide, unable to decide if the image before her was real or just a hallucination.

He shimmered, gold flecks of light tumbling down tanned skin, wisps of seafoam smoke making their final run over muscles that pulsed with each slow breath. She could just see the side of his face, turned slightly away from her, his blonde waves gently settling with the energy around him, eyes closed to the world. The mists eventually faded and Penelope was relieved to see the loose fitting pants, cinched with deep sapphire cloth and a leather belt that hugged it close to his lower abdomen. She felt the heat rise to her cheeks the longer she stared, her eyes following cords of gold and silver that ran over his bare chest, adorned with shells and sea glass that would befit a merman.

But he wasn't - he was a -

His eyes flew open and in one smooth motion, amber flashed with delight and he turned to face her, a bright grin streaking over his boyish face.

"Hey, there." His hands landed on his hips, moving them side to side as he stretched, eventually bringing his arms up and over his head.

Normally, dealing with a complete stranger wouldn't be an issue, but this was her room and there was a half naked man showing off far too many defined muscles than she dared to count. Not to mention the fact he had just appeared out of a puff of smoke. This was anything but normal.

"Explain." One word that her frazzled brain would let out. It was enough though as his arms dropped back to his sides before crossing over his chest.

"You might want to be a bit more specific, mistress." His eyes sparkled with the humor in his voice. "There are quite a few things here that could be explained."

"What are you?" Penelope started with the simple.

"Ah, isn't it obvious?" He looked himself up and down. "Genie, Djinn, wielder of the magic to grant your every wish - from the lamp I'm guessing you rubbed."

"That's preposterous - impossible." Her eyes remained on him as she slid farther behind the bed, effectively separating them.

"Yet, here I am."

Maybe it was his cocky smile or the way he seemed to brush off her incredible amount of apprehension, but she felt a flame ignite in her gut. Penelope's eyes narrowed. "Yes, here you are, in my home. I should consider having you thrown out for what you've done." Her hand found the edge of her robe and she pulled it securely around her as she gestured to the floor now covered in a thin layer of sand. The teacups still lay shattered.

"Ah, yeah," and he laughed, a bright, amused thing that grated against her nerves. "Well, you do have the ability to wish it away, if you like?"

Penelope's eyes met his and she could see the mischief behind them. She'd seen it in enough party guests and foreign diplomats to know it wouldn't be that easy. "What's the catch?"

A Cheshire grin drew over his lips. "Smart lady. The catch is very simple and, I'm afraid, unavoidable. If you wish this mess away, it doesn't just disappear. It has to go somewhere."

"Somewhere of your choosing, if I'm guessing correctly?" She frowned as he nodded. "Is that all? Three wishes and you can wreak havoc with them however you like?"

"Oh no, not three," that amused laugh again. "Those are tales told by those who have never truly met a genie. No, mistress. I am yours for the rest of your life."

His words were like a blow to her resolve and her thoughts stammered to a halt. Life? She would potentially be dealing with this thing for the foreseeable future? The thought of just ignoring him, moving on as though she'd never met him seemed a worthy option. Was that even possible? If she wished it -

Her mouth opened to voice such a proposition when a knock came at her door.

"M'lady? H'is everything alright?" Parker asked, breathlessly from his run across the house, most likely alerted by the noise her 'guest' had made.

"Ah, this should be interesting." The genie watched the door expectantly.

This, she could handle.

"Quite, nothing to worry about." Penelope prided herself in how calm she sounded given the circumstances. She never let her eyes leave the blonde before her and was pleased to see the pout on his face.

"Very well, but h'I could've sworn I 'eard a crash?" Oh bless him, but Parker could be nosey.

"Just a tea set I found in the box." She waited a beat for an affirmative. "Complete loss, but it can wait until morning."

"Very well," he seemed appeased. "'ave a good evening then."

Penelope felt her shoulders relax, a new guilt taking the place of her earlier concerns. She didn't enjoy lying to her friend.

"Aw, you're no fun." He honestly didn't seem all too put out, but she guessed he tended to enjoy a bit of chaos.

"Now, then," Penelope straightened herself, locking him with a stern glare. "About my room."

"It is as you wish it to be," the genie matched her height, his hands folded behind his back.

What was the harm. Just one wish, calculated with no chance of repercussions. Penelope had been trained in noticing the details to manipulate a situation. She could use that here.

"Well then, I wish -" her words sent a spark of light through the amber that watched her so intently. "I wish for the sand to be sent to the sea."

"As you wish," one hand came forward, a quick snap and the sand whirled up from the floor, spinning together into a tight ball of before hurtling through the glass pane of her window, shattering it as the ball continued on to what she suspected was the ocean.

Her eyes grew wide. "Are you serious?"

This time he burst into a gleeful laughter, spurred from so many years without the chance to torment his master. "Sorry, heh - I couldn't help it."

"I wish the glass was back together as it was before you so graciously smashed it!" She hissed, daggers baring into his boyishly smug face.

"Ah, yes," he contentedly sighed, smiling as he snapped again and the broken pieces flew back into the frame, the cracks melding together. "Unfortunately, there's another window out in the world that has shattered."

"Where?" Anger was certainly not an emotion she was accustomed to letting loose and she forced herself to take a calming breath.

"Since you're still learning, a dilapidated shed. You just gave it a little more character." He tried to smile sweetly, only managing to intensify her ire.

"Thank you," Penelope practically spat, taking a step forward and hearing the crush of porcelain under her slippers. She closed her eyes, counted down until she could calmly speak. "I wish - oh, never mind. I'll have it swept in the morning."

"Are you sure?" His tone teased.

"Positive," blue eyes pinned him once more as she stepped over to the small stool in front of her vanity table. She gracefully took a seat, ankles crossed properly below her. "Now, what to do with you." It wasn't a question she expected him to answer. A few minutes ago, she hadn't expected to be asking it. This all still felt completely bizarre and the lack of control was setting Penelope on edge.

For his part, the genie seemed to be enjoying himself as he glanced around the room. "Do as you like, mistress. I would like to ask where I am, exactly?"

"London," she saw no reason not to offer the information. "In my home, of course."

"Ah, figures," his face fell slightly. "At least I'll have the rain."

"Pardon?" What did rain have to do with any of this?

At this, he turned to face her, his hands lifted, palms up and there was an instant flash before a sphere of water coalesced above them. He flicked at it and it moved, flowing around his hands and through his fingers in a mesmerizing display. Penelope found herself staring helplessly at the living water until it began to spin, flattening into a disk and finally exploding out around them.

The spell was over, leaving a line of moisture along the walls and across her top and she growled. "Would you please refrain from any further damage to my room?"

He ignored her, "To answer your earlier question, genies are elemental beings. I thrive in wet climate, which is why rain is important. I'd hoped for a master who lived on the beach, but I guess you'll do."

"Honestly, I'm of the mind to just put you back in that infernal little thing," Penelope gestured to the lamp. "Have it sealed away somewhere."

"You're just not getting this," he crossed his arms, his voice patronizing as he took a step closer. "I'm your genie. Nothing can change that and even if you lock me a million miles from here, the moment you say those magic words, I'll be right there to grant it. That's my job, like it or not."

Penelope stood to meet him, her arms crossing over her chest as she refused to blink. He was quickly becoming a challenge that she needed to reign in, whether that be through banishment or -

Could she use him? Her job entailed so many different facets. If she could reign in his jovial tendencies, could he be an asset?

"As I see it, the options are you stay, free to roam as you like, or you go back in the lamp only to be summoned when I deem it necessary," Penelope watched the flicker of something she perceived as apprehension, but it was gone so quickly she wondered if she had even seen it.

"As you see it."

"An accord, then?" And here was where Penelope needed to be cautious. She was going to trust him - this genie and his unnatural abilities - to be a part of her life or until she could find a way to rid herself of him.

A blonde brow lifted with intrigue, "What d'you suggest?"

"You help me ensure my wishes do not cause anyone harm and I will let you be on your own in my home." She was assuming the freedom would be a welcome change to the lamp he'd resided in for who knows how long.

"Mighty generous of you," the genie paused in thought, "I can warn you about possible consequences, but there will always be the rule of give and take. Fix a broken window, break a window. You want jewelry, it's gotta come from somewhere."

"Understood," Penelope could work with that. "All I ask is that you keep me from unintentionally hurting anyone."

His features soften just the slightest. "Then we have an accord." One hand withdrew from his chest, and he held it out. Her eyes stayed on his as she mimicked the gesture and as her fingers pressed to his palm she felt a surge of bright energy that sparked and ebbed. It left her breathless, heart pounding and she frowned as she caught the mischievous grin.

Snatching her hand back, Penelope shot him a glare. "I'm already regretting this."

"You make it so easy, mistress," he chuckled brightly.

"Noted. Now, as it seems you will be staying, you'll need your own room." Her mind snagged with lessons drilled into her head since birth. "But first, what do I call you?"

"Call me? Genie doesn't suffice?" He spoke in mock offense.

"I don't believe it would be prudent to refer to you as 'Genie' in public." Penelope could imagine the reports of the young socialite and her new companion. "I am Lady Penelope Creighton-ward. What name should I call you?"

With his hands placed firmly on his hips, he gave her a beaming smile. "Nice to make your acquaintance, Lady Penelope. You can call me Gordon."


	2. Chapter 2

Of all the places in the world he could've found himself, this one didn't surprise him. Gordon knew it was inevitable that all the riches his masters had gained would keep him in the presence of the wealthy. He had simply hoped for better - give service to those who had little and appreciated much.

Now, he found himself standing in a room bedizened in rich gold and maroon. It was familiar, but not entirely desired. Gordon had been in more than his fair share of castles and estates, but none of them compared to the back alley in Spain and a little box fashioned to hold back the rain. Those were memories he cherished as it seemed he would never get the chance again.

Amber eyes found the lush bedding and he sighed, deciding on the side that faced the window. The sky was clear, leaving trails of stars. No moon meant he could see the thick streams of light that made up the Milky Way. Part of him wished his mistress had sent him outside. Sleep was irrelevant to a genie and he would've much preferred the night sky and shadowed countryside.

His thoughts went to his new master, his initial impression less than memorable. He did enjoy the way her face scrunched up when he messed with her though. Gordon got the distinct impression she wasn't used to being mocked. Of course not. She was wealthy and young. People probably fell at her feet to please her. Who was he to do the same?

But, then they'd made that deal.

It wasn't a necessary promise, since he went out of his way to never hurt people with his masters' wishes, but it had been somewhat refreshing to hear it from the woman. It meant he might not be used as he had in the past. Tyrants had grown from his powers and he'd had to live with that.

His curse.

So, even if this was another rich home, another spoiled master, at least she seemed... decent. And she was amusing.

"Can't ask for much more than that, can I?" Gordon grinned, taking a seat on the bed. With the night to himself, he let his mind drift to memories and songs, smiles and happy tears. These were the dreams of Genies - ever aware yet off in a world they could never truly be a part of - and Gordon let himself sing. It was a soft tune none would remember, save him. That master was long since gone.

And as time passed, so did the stars until the darkness of night grew into a brilliant, soft grey-blue and orange. Gordon was on his feet even before the light tap of knuckles on oak hit his ears.

"Good morning, mistress," the genie beamed as he opened the door and stepped aside to allow her entry. "What can I grant for you on this lovely morning? Oh, maybe you could wish for breakfast! I'm pretty certain there are some aristocrats who wouldn't miss a bowl of granola."

That little pinch of her nose said it was too early for how energetic he was. "I don't believe that will be necessary. Parker will have breakfast ready shortly. I would actually like to discuss the schedule for the day."

Gordon's face fell, along with his shoulders and the hope that maybe things would get interesting. Penelope took a seat at the small table by the window and gestured for him to sit. As he did, she produced a simple looking watch and slid it over to him.

"Um, I don't really need this," he picked it up anyway, running his thumb over the smooth surface.

"I assure you, in my line of work, there will be times when you cannot be seen with me. This will allow me to talk to you in those situations." Penelope lifted a circular disk, a delicate tap clicking it open.

He found it peculiar that she still seemed so calm and collected. She had just discovered that genies were real and she had one at her disposal, but acted as though it were business as usual. It gave him pause to wonder just what her "line of work" was.

"Very well, mistress."

"And stop calling me 'mistress'. It will only cause more grief than I care to deal with."

Gordon laughed as he placed the 'watch' on his wrist, only made difficult by his bracer. "Then what shall I call you? Goldilocks?"

A measured intake of breath. "Lady Penelope, M'lady, or your ladyship should suffice."

"Mmm, Lady P it is then." This earned him an irked glare, much to his benefit.

"Now, as for your attire," she moved on, setting a tablet on the table. "I would like to negotiate a wish."

"Wait, what's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Oh, he knew, but that didn't stop him from standing and deliberately running his hands over his abs before turning to flex the muscles in his back. The reaction was subtle, but Gordon had been around enough socialites to know how well they could hide their true emotions. A blush, swallowed up by her fingers finding the holographic screen and producing an image of a well tailored suit.

"I'm afraid you would stand out far too much with so little on. I would like for you to wear this. The problem is, I would not feel comfortable with you receiving such a garment without proper payment." She spun the screen for him to see as he grudgingly took his seat again.

"Ugh, that looks uncomfortable," Gordon groused, spinning the image like a top until her hand stopped it. "Fine, what's there to negotiate?"

"Would it be possible to wish for the garments and provide payment?" Penelope was watching him with a critical eye for any hint of deception.

"It would be, but there is a way to obtain it without cost or harm. I mean, if you're interested?" Amber twinkled in the morning sun and he could see the curiosity in her eyes.

"What do you propose?"

"Well," the genie leaned over the table, again toying with the tablet image. "There are quite a few of these sitting, unworn, in closets of some very rich individuals. They wouldn't miss one measly suit. Think of it as a donation."

Free. There was always a thrill to be found when you could get something for nothing. No cost or reprecusion. Gordon could see it in the way her lip twitched and the sapphire flashed as she glanced to the window in search for the right answer.

There really wasn't one. There were just answers and it honestly depended on his master's conscience. Penelope only needed to decide if inconveniencing the wealthy was in her personality.

Another twitch and her lip turned up in a way that sparked his own mischief. When she finally addressed him, there was still enough hesitation to make him wonder where her allegiance fell.

"I believe I know quite a few gentlemen you're talking about," and her smile grew. "And you're happy to wear someone else's suit?"

"Oh no, I hate suits. Way too constricting." Blatantly honest truth. He could tell she wasn't used to it, but was collected enough not to lose that icy chill she'd been developing for him. "But if you wish it, a used suit will be fine."

"Are you always this -"

"Fun? Charming? Endearing?"

"Obnoxious seems more appropriate," Penelope flashed him a warning eye. "Alright, then I wish for you to wear his suit from someone who no longer needs it."

_Oh, fantastic choice of words_. "As you wish." A snap of his fingers and the gold and silver cords were gone, replaced by a crisp white, cotton shirt. Gordon held his arms out for her to see the deep blue wool spread down from his shoulders, stopping at the wrists as the rest covered his chest. He immediately felt the loss of his loose fitting pants, replaced by the fitted pants. At least she hadn't wished for shoes, yet.

"Much better," she stood, collecting herself for what he suspected was a trip through the mansion. "Come, Parker will have breakfast prepared and I'm certain he'll be more than a little curious."

"Ah, so you're not planning to hide me?" He followed, wriggling uncomfortably in the new clothes.

"Not from Parker. I trust him far too much to do that."

The moment they stepped into the hallway, the shuffling of little paws sounded, followed by an excited yip. Gordon instantly found the little pug and bent down, already enamored by it as its head tilted in his direction.

"Hey, pup!" The genie had met only a few animals in his life so far, but he greatly appreciated the chance to meet new ones. Dogs were the typical. They tended to be on his list of "would own if free". Cats were a challenge, but he enjoyed their company just the same. His hand reached out for the pug to sniff. "What's your name, little guy?"

Penelope stopped mid stride, her heels clicking on the marble floor. If she was annoyed with his distraction, she didn't sound it.

"Sherbert, this is our new guest." The dog turned to regard its owner with an anticipatory wag of its tail. "Do help me keep an eye on him would you? That's a good boy."

As if in response to his new task, Sherbert pivoted, sniffed the still outstretched hand, gave the fingers a lick before allowing further scratches behind his ear. Gordon was more than happy to comply to the dog's wishes. A soft clearing of their mistress's throat and they both returned their attention to Penelope.

Her smile was slight, "Come along you two. Parker will be waiting." Her eyes remained on the pup as Gordon stood and he caught the instant she noticed her mistake. "Where are your shoes?"

OoOoOoO

The tea pot still sat on the center of the table, along with plates of biscuits, jams, cheese, and fruit, yet the chair across from his was vacant. It wasn't unheard of for his charge to sleep in, which was why he'd been fiddling with the holographic news reports feeding into the corner of the room. And also why he didn't catch the odd sound of her footsteps as she entered the room.

"Good morning, Parker. Interesting story I take it?" Her voice wavered slightly, but he was too engrossed to make a connection.

"Right you are, m'lady," Parker chuckled at the images. "It appears one of the members h'of parliament decided to strip in the middle of 'is meetin' in Beijing." The images of the man frantically trying to cover himself were circulating quickly and the former thief couldn't find the ability to feel sorry for him. He was a pretty rubbish politician.

A laugh that definitely wasn't her ladyship's had Parker out of his chair and spinning to see the shocked expression on the young woman's face and the amused one on the man behind her. It took a split second for him to analyze the image, but the uncertainty remained. Had her ladyship brought a gentleman into her home without informing him or was there something malicious going on? Parker would have preferred some clue from his charge, but she was still watching the footage of the bothersome MP fleeing from the camera in nothing more than his briefs, socks and shoes.

"M'lady?" Parker decided to be direct, drawing the younger man's attention.

"You're Parker, right?" His high pitched American accent set off more warnings than the bodyguard cared to acknowledge. He watched the brown eyes move to Lady Penelope and back. "Ah, she's currently dealing with some reprecusions to something she and I discussed earlier."

Never let anyone say that Aloysius Parker couldn't kill with just a look. It took quite a bit to get him as worked up as he was now, but with Penelope at the forefront of the issue, Parker found himself unable to stop the glare towards the stranger. "And what h'exactly would that be?" He didn't try to hide his disdain.

To his credit, the kid didn't flinch. "Just give her a second." And his hand came up to graze the side of her arm.

Parker should have stopped it, but there was a table in the way and just not enough time to reach them. That didn't mean he couldn't quicken his steps around the awaiting breakfast and shift a startled Penelope away from the blighter. Again, he showed little sign he was put out by the action.

Penelope had never taken being moved well and today was no different as she let out shout in protest to the handling. Her eyes lost the hologram and found the two men, narrowing in on the younger.

"I'm fairly certain he needed that suit?" Penelope growled in exasperation.

"Nobody really _needs_ clothes," the man rebutted, acting a little too familiar with her ladyship. Parker would have to remedy that.

"H'excuse me, sir," Parker turned to address the young man, shoulders back and head up. It helped he was an inch taller than their guest. "But I don't take kindly to your tone."

A gentle hand caught his arm and Penelope offered an appreciative smile as she gave him the sign to stand down. "Don't mind him. Sit. We'll eat and then I'll explain." Her attention moved to the young man. "Parker, this is Gordon. Gordon, Parker. Do try not to upset him."

"Too late for that," the elder man grumbled as he caught the devilish spark in the amber eyes, but he did as he was told. They sat down, the news feed promptly shut off, and began with cups of tea and biscuits. Parker kept his eyes on Gordon, who simply sipped at his tea.

"Not hungry?" Penelope queried from behind her own cup.

Parker watched the man's brow quirk before turning to regard the ex-thief and back to her ladyship. "There's an explanation for that, but I think your butler here needs a bit more info, don't ya think?"

He found Penelope paused mid sip before she begrudgingly set the cup back in its saucer. It was evident she was still suppressing much of her frustrations to maintain some sense of control.

And then, her eyes met his. "I must apologize to you, Parker. I hadn't meant to keep this from you as long as I have, however, it is quite unbelievable."

"H'I'm sure it's nothin' I can't 'andle, m'lady." But the fact she had felt the need to hide something from him was somewhat unnerving.

Her lips thinned, hesitating only a moment before offering her news. "Gordon, here, is a genie." Her hand lifted to stop the flurry of questions she knew he was going to ask, even though all he wanted to do was wipe the smug grin off the young man's face. "Before you do anything rash, do let me explain."

"By rash, you mean break 'is face until he explains what 'es done to ya?" He let his glare speak volumes of the seriousness to that threat.

"Precisely. Trust me, if I hadn't witnessed his appearance myself I would've had him thrown from the premises immediately." There was a meaningful glance between the two blondes.

"You did threaten to lock me away, though," Gordon pointed out.

"I still just might after that last display."

"No one got hurt and you have to admit it couldn't 've happened to a better slimeball." Another sip of tea to cover a knowing grin.

Things weren't clicking as well as Parker would have liked and he turned back to his charge. "You're tellin' me this bloke 'ere grants wishes?"

She nodded, but before she could continue, Gordon piped in. "Oh! I think he needs a demonstration!"

"No, I don't think -"

"Aw, but seeing is believing right?"

"Gordon…"

Parker felt a twist in the pit of his stomach at the way Penelope faltered. It wasn't like her at all and it only made the desire to strike that much more irresistible.

"Just a little one, it'll make this easier." Gordon turned to him, almost oblivious to the daggers being shot at him. "C'mon, you can even let him pick."

"That's a terrible idea. No offence, Parker."

"Aw, it couldn't be that bad. Let him try, just this once. Right, Parker? You've got this." Whatever joy the young man was deriving from this, he knew it needed to stop. This was ridiculous after all. There were no such things as genies.

"If it'll get you out of my 'air, I'd be more than 'appy to oblige, m'lady." Parker leaned back in his chair. "What's one little wish gonna 'urt?"

"You'd be surprised," Penelope grumbled before relenting. "Fine, one wish, same rules. No one gets hurt." Gordon gave an enthusiastic thumbs up. "And Parker, by small, I mean absolutely tiny."

"Right."

She let out a long breath, hands clasped on the table before her. "Then it's settled. Gordon, I wish for Parker's wish to come true."

The "genie" turned to him eagerly. "Your wish is my command."

Parker smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

"Bow down to your king!"

"All hail the king!"

Penelope pinched the bridge of her nose, working to massage away the headache that was quickly developing. She was in the process of deciding which man she should kill first as Parker stood on the dining room chair, arms crossed over his chest as a very ornate and very important crown sat stop his head. Gordon was happily bowing down before him, obviously thrilled with how this wish had turned out.

"Gentlemen!" The curt shout had them both frozen, Parker aware enough to climb off his 'platform', St Edward's Crown quickly removed and placed on the table. Gordon just kept his same smug expression. He was enjoying this far too much.

"H'apologies, M'lady," the elder man offered. "Couldn't 'elp myself. I mean, when do you ever get to touch royalty much less wear it?"

Penelope's ire wasn't towards her friend. He hadn't actually believed enough to make a small wish and the consequences were currently sitting on her table. She would fix that first. "Gordon, I wish for the crown to be back in its vault without a trace of Parker."

The genie snapped his fingers and the priceless treasure was gone. "No harm, no foul, Lady P. And look, Parker believes now."

"That is not the point," her growl warned him not to argue. "Parker, as you can see, our guest is, as I've mentioned, a genie. He will be staying here until further notice."

"Understood," Parker may seem apologetic now, but Penelope could see the tick at the corner of his mouth. For a thief, the stories of genies and wishes were fantastical, only a thought or hope to ease their effort of growing rich or powerful. Parker was standing right next to one and the temptation must have been unbearable.

Centering herself once more, she moved on to more pressing matters. "Our plans for this evening, I trust they are still on schedule?"

"Yes, M'lady, I've confirmed with the 'ost that everything is prepared." His eyes flicked to Gordon. "H'I suppose there will need to be a plus one added to your itinerary?"

"Yes, please." Penelope collected her tea, intent to finish her breakfast in the lounge. "Gordon, you're welcome to explore before we leave for the benefit this evening."

"Oooh, a party - sounds like fun," but something in his tone caught against her perception of him. He seemed much less genuine than she expected and had Penelope questioning what life had been like before he appeared in her company.

"We'll see, but for now, I have some business to attend to. The day is yours until three." And with that, she left with the desire for some peace and quiet. And it was only just eight in the morning. A sudden hope flitted through her head that every day wouldn't be this stressful.

OoOoOoO

'Freedom to explore' was relatively limited for Gordon as he found himself standing at the end of the drive to the mansion. He could go further, but the pull of his curse was already alerting him that he'd strayed too far from his mistress.

It wasn't all terrible, though. They were in the countryside, which offered more natural scenery to take in verses the towering metropolises where his previous masters had lived. The air was clean and smelled of wildflowers and grass. He could appreciate that. Even the grey, clouded sky seemed ready to welcome him with a downpour, but was holding back. Maybe to protect his designer suit and restrictive loafers.

"Just one drop wouldn't hurt," Gordon reasoned, palm lifted to the sky. He didn't have to wait long as a solitary ball of water landed in the center. It sat against his skin, forming into a perfect sphere and he slowly rolled it carefully. Images of an expansive lake, moonlight dancing over the still surface bubbled up from the droplet and he let out a gratified sigh. "You've travelled pretty far haven't you."

The drop didn't answer - not that it could - and he gently placed it atop a blade of grass. It clung to it like a jewel resting in its facet. A soft breeze sent it bobbing, the wind almost seeming to urge him back towards the house. How long had he been out here?

Gordon glanced at the watch Penelope had given him, noting that he still had about an hour left before he needed to be back. They had a party to attend, after all and she seemed the type to need to be there right on time. Maybe fashionably late, but that would require a schedule as well. Every second outside of the spotlight could be devastating.

A groan escaped the genie as he realised he might just be acting a bit too judgmental. They'd only known each other less than a day. Sure, she had too much house for one person, but that didn't mean she was a terrible person. If he were honest, he hadn't made the best first impression. It came with the territory though - with great power came lots of weird consequences. His masters needed to understand that upfront. It kept people from getting hurt.

The wind kicked up, combining with the curses pull. "Alright, alright, I'm going. Yeesh." Gordon jammed his hands into the silk pockets and began the trek back to the mansion.

He found Parker first, his attire not nearly suited for a party, but the genie guessed black leather would be seen as appropriate for a driver.

The old man gave him a short nod, eyes still twinkling from the knowledge of just what Gordon was. "Good afternoon, Mister Gordon, sir. Her ladyship 'ad me acquire a few outfits for you in your room. You should find some of them a bit more comfortable than that getup." He gestured to the suit.

"Thanks," the blonde answered, a bit confused. "She could've just wished for that though."

"Tell me about it," Parker groused. "Woulda saved me a trip into town. Unfortunately, Lady Penelope has decided that wishes are to be for emergencies only."

Gordon chuckled, "I can't imagine what constitutes as an emergency for her. Bad hair day maybe?"

The chauffeur didn't laugh, but he did grin, eyeing the genie like he'd gotten something very wrong. Gordon didn't let it bother him, though. Instead, he set off for his room, curious to see what she considered 'comfortable'. The wool - though designer - was sandpaper compared to the loose cotton.

A scampering of paws made him turn as he passed an open door, smiling at the sight of the little pug as he came bounding out. Gordon bent down, taking the dogs nose into his palm before wriggling his fingers behind Sherbert's ear. He was about to question where their mistress was when her voice filtered into the hall.

"Sherbert? Come back," Penelope sounded a bit perturbed. "We still need to get you ready -" and the door opened the rest of the way, the woman standing frozen in just her plush robe, hair wound around curlers . Her eyes grew wide. "Were you -"

"What? No!" Gordon stood quickly, hands up in defense of the unspoken accusation. "Parker just told me about new clothes and then your dog found me - Your honor is quite intact."

Sapphire narrowed with suspicion and he wondered if she was waiting for him to squirm. She would have to wait a while.

Eventually, her throat cleared with a dainty sound and she changed the subject. "Yes, you should find some clothes to your liking. I'm afraid the event tonight will require more than just your Georgio. There will be a suit in the closet that should fit."

"Ah, so more stuffy, overpriced clothing. Sounds great." He spun on his heels, hopefully leaving her with the complete understanding that he wasn't thrilled. If she was annoyed by him, Penelope didn't voice it, but he could hear her pad back into her room, Sherbert following closely behind.

Gordon was halfway down the hall when he stopped. He hadn't meant to, had been fully prepared to go see what was waiting in his room, but there was no stopping the daggers of his conscience. He was being unreasonable. Selfish.

The truth was, deep down, he hurt. His curse was more than just servitude. It was a lifetime of being with a master until death, whether it be natural or not. Then he would be shoved back into his lamp, unaware of what they had ended their life - never to truly know. Getting close to a master meant pain, plain and simple.

But a lifetime of tormenting Penelope didn't seem right either.

With a glance back the way he'd come, Gordon debating going back to apologize. Would she even care, though? She hadn't seemed to worry if he'd appreciate the clothes or not. Maybe he was just another pet she could dress and show off? That thought had him returning to his previous goal. He would dress up, look the part, lay off some of the snarky remarks. Be a better servant. He could do that if it meant life with Penelope wouldn't be so bad.

His wishes didn't count, so focus on making hers better.

Gordon found the outfits already hung up in the closet and was pleasantly surprised to find some loose fitting cotton shirts and a pair of khakis and denim. The suit, black tie and gold vest, the fabric richly soft under his fingertips still didn't appease the restricting feel. Looking down at the glossy black shoes only made him groan and he exited the closet to collapse across the bed.

Penelope would be around soon to collect him and it would be at that point she would realize his inability to actually get dressed. She had wished this outfit on him and it was going to be her wish to change him into a new one. He should probably go tell her if leaving on time was so important.

"Eh, she'll figure it out," Gordon spoke to the ceiling, folding his hands over his chest.

"Figure what out, sir?" His head twisted to see Parker standing in the doorway.

A halfhearted wave as he answered. "She's gotta get me dressed."

The mix of emotions on the older man's face were comical as he fought between protecting her ladyship's honor and being confused as to why a capable young man couldn't get himself dressed. Gordon was deciding if he should let it continue, but his concerns from earlier weeded their way into his mind. Sitting up, he took hold of one of the shoes and tried to pry it off, but as soon as it came free, it flew back on.

"Magic. Can't fight a wish." Gordon shrugged.

"Guess not," Parker's voice betrayed the awe hidden behind the simple words. "Shall h'I inform her ladyship h'of your predicament."

His eyes met the chauffeur's and he smiled, appreciative of the offer. It wasn't often he found himself waited on. "Thanks, but I've got it." And Gordon stood, ready to make his way back down the hall. "I needed to apologize anyway."

"Oh?"

"Might've been a bit off an ass," he grinned as Parker chuckled.

And that's how they left it, an understanding between them both that being in servitude meant their own desires might not be at the forefront of their lord or lady. It left Gordon wondering what life would have been like had Parker rubbed the lamp. Probably a lot more fun considering the man's first wish.

Penelope's door was shut as he found himself in front of it and the rap of his knuckles on the door was gentle. This would just be a simple wish, nothing to annoy her and they could be on their way. All he needed to do was apologize. He'd done it countless times before. Today was no different.

The door opened and for once in his life Gordon didn't have words. No smart remark or smooth line. He simply let his hand fall back to his side as she watched him.

"Gordon?" She tilted her head just so. The blonde ringlets swaying behind her bare shoulders were perfectly placed to show the pale cream gown, gold interwoven by skillful hands to diffuse from the base to the top of the sweetheart neckline. Just at the center of her collar bones sat a simple gold disk. For a split second, he wondered at it's cost before he realized he needed to stop staring at her.

"Uh- um, sorry," he stammered to his own horror. Why was he having trouble now, of all times?

Penelope looked ready to question his dilemma, but went for what was probably more important to her at the moment. "Why aren't you dressed? We need to leave soon."

Right. Gordon nodded, taking a breath to deal with the unwelcome feelings. "Ah, so, I can't change since you wished this on me. You'll need to wish for the other suit in its place."

Deflating as though a great responsibility had been bestowed upon her, Penelope's shoulders fell. Worry didn't sit well on her neatly kept features and again, he realized his effects on her weren't ideal. He would try to help that as best he could.

"I'll try to not mess it up, promise." He offered. "Just wish for the suit in my closet to switch with this suit. Easy."

"And I should trust you?" There was a hint of venom in her question. "I understand there are rules, but it appears you have enough control of your magic to twist my wishes to your liking."

"Well, yeah, but -"

"No, if I can't trust you with something as simple as obtaining clothes or making a wish for a friend, then I'm not so certain this is going to work out." Her eyes bore into him with the intensity of a diplomat laying down the last amendment to a treaty she hadn't planned on creating.

Gordon's lips thinned with the finality of her statement. He didn't have anything to prove. He was the one with the curse. So what if she was inconvenienced or annoyed. She could still live her life.

With a little more contempt than was necessary, but definitely made him feel better, he lifted his hands to assuage her concerns. "Fine, do as you like." And he turned, holding back his own frustration in hopes they would snuff themselves out. Penelope would figure it out sooner or later. There was no way to leave him behind and it would be her own pride that would demand he change. He wasn't the one being unreasonable.

Gordon didn't head for his room. Instead, he went out, across the yard and to a flower garden lined with hedges. There was a small, stone bench, but he ignored it, choosing to sit on the green grass, still wet from a storm days ago. Good. Ruin the blue wool fabric, scuff the shoes against hard earth that didn't care what he looked like.

Eventually, he lay back, his hands resting under his head and turned his gaze to the clouds above. They rolled lazily above, still refusing to release the moisture that would only worsen his suit. Even as he wished it would, some part of him knew this was childish. He just couldn't find the energy to care.


	4. Chapter 4

"Are you sure, M'lady?" From the driver's seat, Parker turned to regard her for an answer.

Civility and years of etiquette training dictated she should at least let the genie know they were leaving without him, but she was still rather perturbed by his gaunty behavior. She had very little tolerance for individuals who found enjoyment tormenting others.

"I'm certain," Penelope replied with a gentle stroke to the top of Sherbert's head. "Maybe after we get some answers about our guest, he'll be more inclined to cooperate."

Without further word on the matter, Parker started Fab1, pulling her from the garage and down the drive. She could see the unasked question on his face and wondered for a moment what it was about. There was something to worry about between Parker and Gordon. One offered something far too tempting to the other and she wasn't comfortable letting that continue unrestrained.

"H'I take it 'is conversation with you didn't go well?" He finally spoke as he turned onto the main road and picked up speed.

That conversation, if that's what it could've been called, had been sitting at the back of her mind to fester. She couldn't trust him, though part of her wanted to when he had the sense to actually look sorry. Penelope opened her mouth to insist it would be alright, but let out a startled yelp as the back seat filled with an explosion of blue and seafoam smoke.

"Blimey!"

Penelope felt the car come to a stop and the doors opened, letting the fog spill out over the pavement. For reasons beyond her desire to explore, she wasn't surprised to see the blonde sitting next to her, his eyes wide in confusion.

"Was that entirely necessary?" Penelope grumbled, waving more of the smoke out of the opening.

"It is when you leave without me," Gordon had the gall to glare at her. "I have to be within a certain distance of you or this happens." He gestured to his presence and the smoke trailing off of him.

"That's information that would have been pertinent earlier," Penelope lifted Sherbert, who had immediately wedged himself against her at the surprise.

The genie simply shrugged as he leaned back in the seat. "I prefer to learn as we go. Kinda makes things stick when they happen, don't ya think?"

Calm. She needed to stay in control of her emotions, so Penelope redirected her attention to her driver. "Are we alright to continue, Parker?"

"Yes, M'lady," the elder man glanced at the rearview, eyeing the two of them for any sign she might try to do something brash. She wouldn't, even though she had the strong urge to boot Gordon from the car.

"So where's this shindig we're going to, anyway?" He asked as Fab1 continued on.

"Paris," she didn't feel like expanding from there. If he was forced to come, then it wasn't likely he could do anything about their destination.

A deep sigh wasn't followed by the quip Penelope had been expecting. Instead, he offered a subdued "okay," before turning to view the countryside. She was fine with that. They would make their little detour first and then head over to the benefit. She was eager to gain more information regarding the genie and was hopeful her friend would be able to help.

So, with her mind elsewhere, Penelope watched the countryside opposite his. She didn't think twice when Fab1 took flight, but blinked with the startled cry that came from Gordon.

"This thing flies?" His earlier irritation was gone.

"Yes," Penelope started before adding, "and that's not information that's privy to all. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Gordon was all smiles as he leaned against the window to view the retreating ground.

Penelope found it strange how quickly his moods could shift. Since meeting him, she'd thought him an immature boy given far too much power, but then she would catch a hint of age, dark and expansive that flitted away with so much as a flippant grin. Maybe that's what worried her most about him. He must be ancient. Why would he care about this world or what happened to it?

But as she watched his eyes dance in the mid afternoon sun, Penelope knew that wasn't true.

Right now, she would focus on the task at hand. After that, she would have to tread lightly if she planned on making any more wishes.

The remainder of the ride passed in a mutual silence until they made it to the rural highway that lead to the mansion. Penelope had wondered what he might think of their destination and was somewhat surprised to see apprehension and pain. Not physical - no - this was the ache of something deeper and for a moment, she wondered if this was a mistake.

Then, the door opened and Penelope was stepping out with the helping hand of Parker. Duchess Wellesley was already through the entryway by the time she straightened.

"Lady Penelope, back so soon?" The elder woman sounded delighted. "Were you able to find something for your family's organization?"

Ah, she'd found something alright, but now there was that itch of guilt for getting the woman's hopes up. Although, if she were knowledgeable about Gordon, then the issue could be forgotten.

"Unfortunately, I did find something, but it seems I may need your help with it." Penelope gave the dutchess an apologetic look.

"Oh, of course, dear," she beamed and Penelope stepped aside to allow her full view of the man currently exiting the pink Rolls Royce. Her smile fell sharply. "Oh -"

Concern swept through the London agent, noting the color leave the dutchess' face. Penelope turned quickly to look back to Gordon only to find him wearing a soft, mournful expression. As far as her expectations went, this was a bit on the alarming side.

"Ma'am -" Gordon's greeting broke with uncertainty.

Dutchess Wellesley didn't allow him any time to collect himself. The shiver of sorrow in her voice had Penelope wondering if the woman was losing the strength to stand. "Oh, my dear - I thought… you -"

A tear fell.

Footsteps sounded behind her before Gordon moved past and Penelope found herself a perplexed bystander to an emotional reunion. The dutchess collapsed into him, her thin fingers clinging to the fabric of his jacket. Part of her wanted to focus on the stains running across his back and the seat of his pants, anything but the questionable guilt she was feeling about bringing him here. About the obvious pain it was causing the elder woman. Why - she still needed more answers, but with the sound of sobs muffled by ruined Armani, Penelope was willing to wait.

For the remainder of the next few minutes, she simply observed, unsure of her role other than instigator. Gordon had urged with gentle words that the dutchess should allow him to help her to one of the benches if not inside. It hadn't taken her long to settle once she was lowered, wiping at the tracks of wetness with shaking fingers. Parker, who had been dumbfounded by the exchange from his place at the boot of Fab1 joined them and offered a handkerchief from his pocket.

"I'm dreadfully sorry, Dutchess Wellesley," Penelope started, hoping to sooth the churning in her gut for the trouble she'd caused. "I didn't intend to cause you distress."

To her surprise, the older woman smiled as another tear slid free. "Nonsense, dear, this -" and she turned back to Gordon, taking his face in her hands and pulling him down to plant a kiss on his forehead. "This is a wonderful surprise. Oh Gordon - where have you been all this time?"

He gave a sad chuckle as he took her hands in his, folding them together between them. "Genies, Maddie - we go back in our lamps when… Well, when we're no longer needed." A frown pulled at his lips, marring the boyish charm he seemed to flaunt. "I'm so sorry."

The dutchess wiped at her cheeks with the cloth, returning an aged gaze with the understanding that followed his sentiment. "When I lost Hugo, I could only imagine where you had disappeared to. I thought, maybe, you had abandoned us, but that seemed impossible. You never left his side. Not in all the time I had known the two of you."

"Even if I could've left, I wouldn't. Your husband had a good soul. I was proud to serve him." There was an unmistakable shimmer in the amber eyes that sent Penelope's heart plummeting. She succeeded in one thing. She had learn how much he could feel for others. He cared deeply and she was taking advantage of that.

"But twenty-three years?" The dutchess gasped out in disbelief. "You were locked away for so long."

This time his laugh held more amusement than pain. "Oh, that's nothing! I've endured centuries of waiting. Some of my masters felt it necessary to lock my lamp away so no one could find it. Time has its ways, though."

The three mortals gaped in horror at this rather large fact about the genie. Dutchess Wellesley shattered their shocked silence with an indignant grunt, before pushing herself up from the bench.

"Then I owe you at the very least the hospitality of supper, my dear boy." She held out her hand to usher him to follow. His eyes, however, went to his new mistress.

Penelope, for once, didn't know what to do or say, her mouth falling open. She knew he required permission and there were no valid reasons not to give it. Her plan had originally been to visit the dutchess with enough time to talk before heading off to the benefit.

Another moment ticked by and she realized all eyes had turned to her, so Penelope did the only thing that could muster its way through her muddled thoughts. She nodded.

It wasn't until they had entered the estate that the first dilemma made itself known to her. Though they had time to talk, a meal was not a possibility. Penelope, now with a bit more of her wits about her, gave a soft cough to alert their host.

"Oh, I really must apologize. We unfortunately have other engagements to attend to, so I'm afraid supper might need to be postponed for another visit." She offered a remorseful expression as the reunion would have to be cut short despite the wounds that had been opened.

Dutchess Wellesley didn't seem too fazed as she nodded, her arm wrapped around Gordon's. "A drink perhaps?"

Penelope was grateful for the flexibility. She valued this lady's friendship and wasn't thrilled to have that tarnished by an inability to compromise.

"That would be lovely," she smiled, following their hostess inside, Parker trailing behind.

They eventually found themselves seated in a small lounge, Gordon sifting through a handheld holoprojector. Images of Duke Wellesley were easily identified from her location, most of which also held the dutchess, but none of Gordon himself. What struck Penelope about the whole situation was how civil the genie was being - almost lovingly, like a son home to visit after too long. It was so different from her own experiences with him.

"Here we are," the dutchess spoke as she returned with a servant carrying a tray of tea and biscuits.

"Aww, none for me?" Gordon pouted from behind the hologram of the duke sitting in an antique Corvette.

"You know yours takes the longest," Dutchess Wellesley countered with a smile.

As the tea cups and plates were set on the table, another servant appeared, carrying a brightly colored frozen drink with fruit sticking off the side of the glass. Penelope starred at it with an uncanny sense of complacency. This was actually happening and she couldn't find the heart to voice her shock.

Gordon could, with a bright, joyous laugh. "You remembered?"

"Of course I do," the dutchess took a sip of her tea, all poise and grace, but her eyes still glistened with memories, long locked away, finally spilling out. "You had poor Hugo so enamored with them, you and he had to hide on the veranda to keep me from knowing."

Mid-sip, he stopped to give her an incredulous look. "Then how did you find out? I thought we did a pretty good job, you know, with our cups of tea sitting there."

Penelope turned to Madeleine - Maddie, by Gordon's familiarity - for an answer to a story that shouldn't have been this enthralling. "The sink, dear. I always found your glasses ready to be washed. Ms. Krieg found it amusing to spill the beans on the two of you."

A chunk of pineapple muffled the chuckle that followed this information. The silence after offered Penelope a way to wriggle her own questions in.

"How long have you two known each other? If you don't mind my asking." There were other, more pertinent questions to ask, but it didn't feel right delving into them just yet.

Madeleine glanced to the side in thought before turning to regard the genie, "You and I, about thirty some odd years." She found Penelope next, "package deal those two. I met Hugo at a gala trying to pass himself off as a prince. It didn't take me long to figure that little ruse out and I was introduced to his cohort in crime." A glance in Gordon's direction.

The genie, though smiling and presenting as though it were a jolly story to be telling, didn't expand on it. Penelope prided herself in being able to read a person via little quirks of discomfort or excitement. Currently, her new companion was trying to keep up appearances. Whether it be for their host's benefit or her own, she couldn't tell.

Eventually, he offered a grin, setting his drink down, "And if I'm not mistaken, you were more than happy to participate after the fact."

"Ah, yes, well - he did have a certain charm about him." Madeleine's smile softened. "I miss him."

Another beat of silence, broken by Gordon this time. "What happened?"

Penelope's breath caught at such a personal question, wondering how either of them would take it. However, she wasn't too surprised to see the warmth spread over the older woman's face as though she were softening the blow of news to a loved one.

"His heart stopped," she said, as though it hadn't been too much of a surprise. "You know Hugo and doctors. Never could get him to go to one and when he did, they tried putting him on medication for his blood pressure. Stubborn fool… He'd had a cold the day before, remember?" Gordon nodded, silently listening. "It was just poor timing and a terrible genetic history in the end. I found him in bed, curled up with his readers still on. Thought he'd nodded off, he looked so peaceful."

The explanation hung over the group, all eyes on Gordon who had found a spot on the table, his lips thin as his mind processed. The sigh that escaped was heavy, but there was a corner of his mouth that twitched ever so slightly. Penelope could only imagine how he must be feeling after learning of his friend's fate.

Not friend - master. Duke Wellesley had been Gordon's master until the day he died. How many masters had the genie been through?

"Thank you," Gordon finally spoke, breaking her train of thought. "And you're right - he was pretty stubborn. Sometimes I had a hard time deciding if it was his worst or best quality."

"Mmm - it certainly depended on the day," Madeleine said fondly, regardless of what had come of her late husband. Her eyes found Penelope, bright with knowledge. "And now it seems you've found a new mistress who could run circles around Hugo. You are quite the powerful woman, dear."

She knew this, yet in the presence of their current situation, there was the unwelcome spread of heat over her cheeks. The thin layer of concealer and perfectly applied powders were hopefully enough to hide that slip.

"It has been an interesting twenty-four hours, to say the least," Penelope easily kept her tone light, not wanting to voice the true frustration that had brought her here.

"I'm certain he isn't helping matters," the dutchess gave her a knowing wink that wrinkled the corner of her eye. It gave the London agent a little levity, knowing that she hadn't been the only one earning the genie's mischievous treatment.

"Aw, c'mon, Mads," Gordon pouted. "I'm not that bad."

"Oh, like the time Hugo wished for the most beautiful pearl in the world as an anniversary gift and you brought him a live oyster?" Madeleine folded her hands over her lap, pinning him with a glare.

"He asked for the 'most beautiful pearl'! I couldn't help that it was still stuck in a mollusk." He threw another piece of fruit in his mouth.

"But you gave him grief for weeks after he had to kill it," a razor sharp brow lifted.

"I did do that, yes," he had the sense to look apologetic.

"Pardon my interruptin', m'lady, Dutchess," Parker caught their attention as he set his own cup on the table. "We'll be needin' to 'ead out soon if we mean to arrive on time."

Penelope really hadn't set aside enough time for this type of reunion, but knew it would be easily remedied. "If it would be alright with the two of you, I could bring Gordon back to visit? I'm sure you have much more to discuss."

The genie's face lit up with the offer and the dutchess was more than willing to agree. The details were discussed on the way to Fab1 and with the gentlest care, Gordon gave his old friend a long hug. Penelope felt the warmth of it, pleased to be witness to it. Her line of work typically didn't leave room to admire such meetings.

"Thank you so much, dear," Dutchess Wellesley pulled her into her own embrace, hands trembling as they took hers. Gordon had taken his place next to Parker, well out of earshot. "I know he may be a nuisance at times, but that man's heart is good. He just needs reminding every once in a while."

"I'll do my best," she offered, not really feeling the smile she wore over the uncertainty. She would appreciate a little more cooperation on his part. Maybe after today, their partnership could be far less problematic.

And just as quickly as they had arrived, they were off again. This time, she was gazing out the window towards the hills that lined the road, unsure of what to say to her passenger. She had been allowed to view a part of his life none had been privileged before. What was she supposed to do now? Comfort him? Offer her condolences?

She'd done that for far too many - and too many of those had been close friends. This was different. There were so many avenues, yet none glaring at her to head down first. It was unnerving and she found her nails digging into the palms of her hands to just keep from growling in frustration.

And then, Penelope heard the slow stream of breath pass through his lips - the silence that followed. She turned her head just enough to see his head bowed, hunched over with his elbows resting on his knees. In that moment, he was completely vulnerable. Every ounce of control that he'd kept in front of the dutchess was gone.

"Are you alright?" She found herself asking before she could think better of it.

A grunted laugh was her answer, followed by a thick silence. She didn't dare press, unable to read his expression behind the hands that covered his face - until they fell.

Gordon was smiling as he spoke quietly. "Most people knew Hugo for his work, you know that?" Penelope nodded. It's how she knew him - being in the possession of more than a few of his original literary works. "I knew him when he worked in a factory packing boxes. Not a lot of people remember that since he tended to work late and kept to himself. He loved writing and would tell me all about his stories. Never once wished for me to write it all out for him. That was his passion. What he wished for was for someone to read just one of his final drafts."

"What did you do?" She asked, honestly interested.

"I dropped it right into the lap of one very specific person," the grin was beaming with the memory.

"Who?"

"Elio Bisset - head of publishing for Le Voyage. And he loved it. All it took was one person and Hugo was on his way out of that terrible job." Gordon went back to watching the scenery, still smiling.

Penelope followed his gaze to see nothing of significance outside other than trees and hills. Though she had heard stories of the Duke's rise in fame and fortune, she had never really met the man. He'd passed before she'd even learned to read, but once she grew old enough to enjoy his complicated and intertwining works, they had made it to the top of her list of books to read more than once. Each time revealed a whole new look into something she had missed the first time through. Getting to be an acquaintance of his wife had been almost like a dream. And now this.

"He was a talented man," she finally gave in praise. Gordon didn't seem to acknowledge, but she did notice he looked a bit more at ease.

"Thank you," the words were thick and she could see a slight shimmer that rimmed amber. "I've never had the chance to know what really happened to any of my masters. I just have to accept that their life is over and it's time to move on. It's..."

Penelope's lips thinned as he trailed off, a dull ache passing through her chest at his confession. "That's terrible." She couldn't help adding and was rewarded a subtle nod. "If ever you need to visit, I'm sure the dutchess would be glad to accommodate. All you need to do is ask."

The offer seemed to bring back some of his spark as a smile reappeared and he glanced over to her. "Thanks, I'd appreciate that, a lot."

Something had changed in the space of an hour for the London agent and without meaning to, she'd developed a need to help this man. It felt right, regardless of how their initial meeting had gone. If that meant taking more trips to his old friend, she would do everything in her power.

First things first, though. She had a job to do and she needed him to look the part if he was to accompany her. "Good, and as for tonight, if you would like to accompany me to the benefit, I would certainly appreciate your help?"

Gordon's eyes lit with amusement, "You mean schmoozing with the super rich?"

A grin played over her lips, "Something like that. So, how did that wish go?"

"You wish for me to wear the suit in my closet and this suit to go back to my room?" There wasn't a hint of mischief and it gave Penelope some relief.

"Yes, that's my wish."

"Then let's go to a party," and he snapped his fingers.


	5. Chapter 5

The benefit was what Gordon had expected. They'd been met with camera flashes and shouts to Lady Penelope. Questions swirled through the flashes, most pertaining to who the young man was and their relationship. Her ladyship had handled it all with the warmest of smiles, but never actually answered, instead going on about how wonderful this event would be for the foundation.

The genie found it all fairly annoying. Spend hundreds of thousands - if not millions - to raise a few million for some cause? Probably just to make them all feel better. Like they've contributed back to humanity and they could all go back to their mansions and yachts with a clear conscience. It was maddening to say the least.

But he'd promised his mistress he would be civil. That meant smiling and listening to trivial conversations about last year's event and how much better the food had been. He would defer to Penelope whenever questions got a bit too close to her expertise, but that didn't mean he couldn't interject his own opinions.

"What an impact it would have if they served what some of these poor countries had to eat! Could you imagine how much more motivating it would be to donate if we had to eat those nutrient porridge bowls?" He suppressed a chuckle of annoyance as the woman dressed in furs and jewels scoffed at the mere mention of replacing her scallop carpaccio and smoked gruyere bruschetta.

"What a delightful idea," Penelope echoed his sentiment, bright and smooth as her hand came to rest on his arm. Immediately, the woman's demeanor changed and it was as though agreeing with the young Creighton-ward meant she could live another day.

"Oh darling, I do hope they will take it under advisement," the woman offered, before turning back around. "Although, I wonder if the same number of donors would be able to participate?"

"I believe you'd be quite surprised," Penelope's counter came with a knowing tilt of her head and the woman was fumbling as she tried to redirect the subject.

"Such lovely music! I must find out who they've acquired." The woman wrapped an arm through her less than thrilled husband's arm to lead him away. "I do hope to speak with you again soon, Lady Penelope!"

And now, they were alone, on the sidelines to watch the guests mingle and eat and dance. Gordon would have hated it if not for the amused chuckle that came from her ladyship. He glanced over to see the bright grin on her face and wondered just what had tickled her the most.

"Thank you for that," Penelope didn't make him wait long to find out. "That woman can be insufferable at times. She gives the bare minimum every year just to be seen."

"Some people are addicted to the spotlight." Some of those being old masters who had made it far in life, but those lives had been shortened greatly. "It'll eat them up eventually."

"Mmm, yes, I tend to agree." She took a sip of champagne from the flute she was holding. It was actually the first one she'd taken since lifting it from a passing tray. It seemed more an accessory as her eyes roamed over the faces around them. "I will say your idea is actually quite brilliant. Of course there would be complaints if they didn't receive something grotesquely gourmet, but that doesn't mean they can't taste some of the fruits of their labor."

"And hopefully try to improve it for the sake of those who actually have to eat it."

"Precisely."

Gordon's gaze stopped following hers, instead, focusing on the groups of socialites. His attention caught on a particular group and he leaned closer to Penelope. "Who are they?" He gesture to a group of well dressed men, assumingly not part of the rich crowd as they too scanned the area.

"Ah, so those are the people we would like to avoid," there was nothing jovial in how she spoke, his brow raising questioningly. "Now's as good a time as any to tell you, I suppose. They're very dangerous and unfortunately, part of the reason we're here."

That set off alarms in the back of his mind. "Why would you need to deal with dangerous people?"

Penelope's answering smirk didn't help to settle the twitches of concern. Instead, she squeezed his arm and led him over to where Parker waited.

"Time, M'lady?" The elder man asked with a grin of his own.

"I believe it is," she let go of Gordon's arm and he turned to see her pull her compact from her clutch. For all appearances, she looked to be checking her make-up, which was still perfectly in place. "If the two of you could keep an eye on the prince's friends, I shouldn't be too long."

She moved away, back into the crowd and Gordon was intent on following before a hand caught his arm. He turned to find Parker offering up a warning smile.

"Nothin' to worry h'about as long as we don't lose sight of those blokes." He let go, settling back against the wall. The genie joined him reluctantly, deciding to watch the meanest looking one of the group. He wasn't necessarily the biggest, but Gordon had centuries of experience reading people. No, the biggest guy was just muscle. The leader would hide himself amongst them as to not be an obvious target.

And the leader's eyes were following Penelope - or at least the direction she'd gone.

"The hell -"

"H'I see 'im, mister Gordon," Parker warned. "Best to wait for her ladyship to do her job before causin' trouble."

"What is her job exactly?" Gordon couldn't imagine her doing anything that would draw the attention of dangerous people, aside from being wealthy. That might paint a nice target on her kidnap-able self.

"Can't say, but h'I assume you'll find out soon enough." An amused chuckle and Parker went back to watching.

And watch they did. The minutes ticked without the reappearance of Lady Penelope and no movement from the men. For a brief moment, Gordon closed his eyes and reached. He found her, not too far away, and in no sign of distress. That was good, he guessed. He opened his eyes as a hand tapped his arm.

The genie paid Parker no mind as he watched the group begin to purposely step away from the area they'd been occupying. His heart jumped and he turned, the older man already moving. They were on an intercept course and he began to wonder just what the plan was. He wasn't a skilled fighter, though he'd witnessed many battles. His masters never stayed long enough to need his more physical abilities.

"What are we doing?" Gordon whispered harshly, but before Parker could answer, the crowd in front of them parted and out stepped Penelope. Her smile of relief was a welcome sight and he almost voiced it until she was grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the center of the room.

"Can you dance?" Her voice was smooth, though there was a hint of strain underneath.

"Uh - sure, yeah, kinda." It had been a while, but he remembered some of the basics.

"Would a wish help?"

"Only if you're okay with me taking someone else's ability to dance?" He caught the worry in her sapphire eyes and quickly added, "I've been to enough galas to at least know how to waltz."

A curt nod and she slipped her hand into his before coming to a stop on the scantily occupied dance floor. The music from the band would fit well enough and he carefully placed his hand at the small of her back as she turned to face him. Her hand lifted to his shoulder and with a quick smile he led her into the fluid movements.

"What are we doing?" Gordon asked as he spun his arm around her, pulling her back against him.

"Dancing," Penelope teased. "And letting everyone see us."

His eyes flicked up to see that most of the room was watching them. "Why?"

"Can't just disappear, now can I? That would raise too much suspicion." The tease turned into a coy smile that made him question her morality.

"Wait, what did you do?" His voice was low as he twirled her around again.

"I'll explain everything on the trip home, I promise." A softer expression wiped away the playful on as he dipped her. He brought her back up and then continued. "For the moment, let's just dance."

A few more couples joined them, the music seeming to intensify as the mood lifted. It felt like everything was coming back down from the heightened emotions from earlier. When the music stopped, he was led back to the rooms edge.

"That was quite enjoyable, thank you," Penelope accepted another tall champagne glass, Gordon doing the same out of a sense of obligation.

"I'm still curious what that was all about, but it was fun," he took a sip of the bubbly liquid. "Ah - never did find this stuff all that good."

"It's more to keep your hands occupied," she lifted her own, the color perfectly accenting the gold in her dress and making it seem as though she held a jewel rather than a simple beverage.

Glancing down at his glass, he quickly decided it didn't do him any favors and set it on one of the nearby tables. "Now what?"

"Now, we find the host, thank them for a wonderful event, I transfer a sizable donation and we leave." A tight smile and wave to someone across the room and she took his arm again. "Come, I do believe I'm ready to go home."

As if her life was planned just so, Penelope led him through each of the steps she had outlined. He had been pleased to see her sizable donation was just that and was quickly understanding why the host had been so thrilled she had attended. Now, they were outside, waiting for Parker to bring the car around. A chill had set in and the thin shawl over the woman's shoulders was barely qualifying as a deterrent.

"May I?" Gordon gestured to the suit jacket, unable to take it off against her wishes.

"Oh, thank you - ah, I wish for you to give me your coat," he suppressed a laugh at her uncertainty. It was so contrary to how she'd acted earlier, he wondered if this was the same woman. A quick move and the jacket was off, slipping over her shoulders. "Parker shouldn't be too much longer."

The sound of footsteps behind them sent his earlier alarms blaring and he wished the pink Rolls Royce would turn the corner at that moment. The rough grip on his arms and the startled cry from Penelope was indication that even Parker might not be able to help.

"Your ladyship's presence is requested," the man's accent was thick, but his intent was anything but polite as they found themselves being led towards the side of the building and the shadows beyond.

"Pen-" a fist connected with his jaw as they left the view of the street. There was no pain, but it effectively cut off his warning. She needed to make a wish.

"Where is it?" The voice belonged to the leader of the men from earlier, Gordon's view clearing as he was held by the big guy and another. Penelope was being restrained by two others, fear etched over her face.

"What do you want? Please, just take my purse and leave us alone!" Her voice trembled. Gordon found it odd in comparison to when he'd first met her. She hadn't been nearly as affected by the sudden appearance of a mystical genie, yet here she was, quaking in the clutches of a human.

"The journalist's data, you have it." The leader growled and the sound of metal sliding free was not missed before a large knife appeared. "Give it to me or your friend dies."

Who the hell were these people?

"Penelope!" There was no point entertaining them - these potential murderers. She could get them out of this easily enough.

"This does not concern you," the man spat as he lifted the knife, pressing the tip against Gordon's throat.

"Oh, but it does," he corrected, still watching Penelope who had finally turned to regard him. "Make a wi-"

The command was stopped short as the knife moved and embedded into his stomach. Gordon heard the shocked cry from Penelope before looking down at the piece of metal still stuck in him. It was an odd feeling he'd actually never experienced and stole his breath as the weapon was removed.

"The longer you stay silent, the sooner he dies."

Gordon's eyes found hers again and he saw the anger that flared. His own burned with the realization these men meant to do them harm.

So with a smirk, he asked, "want me to kick their asses?"

Her smile mimicked his. "Oh, I wish you would."

And he had just the person in mind to take that fighting skill from.

A snap of his fingers and the big man's grip lost its strength. It was nothing for Gordon to wrench himself free, driving his fist into the leaders face and sending him sprawled across the ground.

The genie didn't hesitate to take out the other man clinging to his arm in shock, the crack of his nose shattering bouncing off the walls. He ignored the big guy in lieu of grabbing one of the men on Penelope and slamming him into the wall behind her. He crumpled on impact with a strangled gasp as the air left his lungs.

The other man on his mistress seemed to have enough sense to let go, but made the mistake of trying to attack Gordon. His hand took hold of the man's arm as he tried to grapple him, slamming his shoulder into his gut and launching him through the air. The sound of the thug's weight colliding with the cement was almost satisfying.

Gordon's last opponent wasn't worth worrying about. He was currently trying to flex his hands into fists, his muscles refusing to cooperate. The genie took a step towards him and the man's eyes lifted, the war in his mind trying to decide if he should stay and fight or just run. Unfortunately, he decided wrong, meaty fingers clawing at the smaller blonde. Gordon ended it quickly with a fist to his face, leaving him motionless on the ground.

Silence fell over the alley until the sounds of the city filtered back into focus. Gordon took a steadying breath and turned to find Penelope toying with her compact. He would have questioned it, but the disc disappeared a moment later and she was approaching him with a worried expression on her face.

"Are you alright?" Her hand took his arm, the other gently inspecting the gash in his dress shirt.

"Yeah, totally. Genie, remember?" He smiled, pulling back the material to show the smooth skin.

"Oh, thank goodness," her hand found his and pulled, leading them through the maze of groaning bodies to find Parker jumping from the pink car to run towards them.

"Are you two alright?" The chauffeur's gaze roamed over them, presumably ensuring his charges were in fact in one piece.

"Quite, thanks to Gordon," Penelope expressed with a smile, continuing towards the vehicle. "But I do believe we should leave before we have more company."

Gordon shrugged as he passed Parker, who frowned, but quickly followed. They were inside and driving away from the building full of oblivious socialites in less than a minute. Now that they were out of prying eyes, the genie found it pertinent to ask the one question repeating in his head

"What the hell was that all about?!" He didn't mean to shout, but he'd just been stabbed. It didn't escape him that it could have easily been Penelope instead.

"I did promise didn't I," she sighed, removing the pendant from around her neck. "They were after this." He looked at the necklace and back up to her, still confused. A flick of her thumb over it revealed a tiny protrusion. "This chip contains communications between a Saudi prince and his militant groups giving orders to attack civilian camps. It is the final piece the World Council needs to bring down his tyranny."

"And you had to find it? Why not send someone from the CIA or Interpol, like a -" Gordon stopped as she looked at him with a grin that said he was on the right track. "Wait… Are you a spy?!"

"An agent, yes," Penelope confirmed, replacing the necklace before pulling out her compact. It flipped open and he watched as an image of a man in blue filled the space above it. "John, we're all clear. Any word on if those gentlemen have been taken into custody?"

"The authorities were able to detain all but one unfortunately," the figure's hands hovered over controls Gordon couldn't see. "Are you alright?"

They seemed to be getting that question a lot tonight and Gordon wondered what would've happened had he not been with her. Would she have made it out alive? Would she have brought someone else with her to be stabbed for information? Maybe this John guy?

But, no - she'd been lucky. Hadn't she?

"Yes, we're fine, although one of them tried to stab my companion. I do hope he wasn't the one to get away - Izz al-Din, if I'm not mistaken." Her side glance to him when she mentioned the man's intent - although abbreviated - was laced with that same anger he'd witnessed before. This was a woman who took violence towards her friends very personally.

John grimaced, "That would be the one, but they've got proof he was there. It shouldn't be too difficult to locate him. I'll have EOS run scans for facial recognition. He'll show up on a video feed eventually."

"Thank you, John. Please keep me updated."

"FAB," and the image blinked out as she closed the compact.

The Rolls Royce lifted into the air, but Gordon kept his eyes on his mistress, lips thin as he tried to decide how he actually felt. She seemed to have anticipated his reaction and was returning his stare with her own, patiently waiting for him to speak.

"So," lame start, but this was actually new for him, which was saying something. "You're a spy."

"Agent."

"Agent - who works for…"

This time, her expression pinched as she hesitated to answer. "That's - complicated."

"Good guys or bad guys?"

Penelope scoffed, "Good."

"How do you know?"

"Well, it's quite obvious."

"You sure? They could just be using you?"

"I am and they're not."

"Does he work for them? What's his name - John?"

"Yes."

A whimpered bark broke up the back and forth, Penelope bending down to lift Sherbert off the floor. The pug nestled himself between them, accepting the scratch behind his ears.

"Is it always this dangerous?" He leaned back, feeling a little more at ease after the previous answer. The man in the compact had shown significant concern for his mistress and that meant she had someone else watching her back.

"Not always, but it can be," her fingers found the underside of Sherbert's chin. "Is that a problem?"

Gordon smiled, "Not at all, but it sounds like you could use another pair of hands."

"Are you offering?" Sapphire flashed with intrigue.

"I believe I am." Amber answered with just as much excitement.

"Then it's settled," Penelope extended a hand for him to take, his palm pressing against hers. "Welcome to International Rescue."


	6. Chapter 6

She might have misled him a bit by offering a position that wasn't really hers to give, but she faith in the Tracy family and knew they would trust her judgement. Gordon had taken a knife to the gut and been willing to do as she wished, genie or not.

All that remained to make it official was a trip to the island and a talk with Scott.

But first, Penelope needed to calm her companion who was practically vibrating as he watched the ocean below them.

"Gordon, please," there was no hiding her annoyance after trying to reduce his exuberance twice already.

"Sorry! Sorry -" he smoothed his hands over the jeans he'd requested. "It's the ocean! It's just been so long since I felt it."

His smile was infectious and she tried to hide her own, but the slight chuckle from Parker let her know she'd failed. It didn't matter, though. Gordon would be beside himself with energy once they made it to the island and he could go down to the beach.

It had been a full week since meeting the genie from the lamp that sat safely in the vault with the T.E.A. and he'd grown on her. They had found mutual ground in a partnership that would save lives all over the world. He was an asset and she was a master worth serving. She hadn't been able to respond when he had admitted that, a sincere smile on his boyish face. Instead, Penelope had nodded with a whispered "thank you".

Now, she was giving him a gift that she felt the universe owed him. Gordon deserved to be happy.

"Fab1 to Tracy island," Parker called over the comm a short while later.

Gordon was standing to get a better view through the front window and Penelope didn't stop him, enjoying the wide eyed expression as they made their approach.

"Go ahead, Fab1." Virgil's voice sounded through the comm.

"Requesting clearance to land, mister Virgil, sir."

"You're clear to land, see you soon." The audio cut as Parker began their descent.

"Which one was that?" Gordon asked from his spot above her.

"Virgil," Penelope answered, holding Sherbert closer as their momentum increased. "Second oldest."

"Flies the big green tank," he laughed. "That thing has to have magic keeping it airborne."

"Well, if you're very nice, he might let you see it." Reaching up, she took his arm and encouraged him back into the seat.

"Even Thunderbird 4?"

"Especially that one," it was like offering Sherbert a biscuit how easy it was to spin the genie's enthusiasm. Penelope would have berated herself for encouraging it, but she found it truly refreshing. Centuries old and she could send him in a tizzy with just a mention of the little yellow sub.

Their landing was flawless as ever, Parker opening the door and Gordon offering his hand to help her out. They were met by Virgil and Alan, the younger seeming excited to meet their guest. It was rare for anyone new to step foot on the secret island.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," Penelope greeted. "I do hope we aren't late." They weren't by any means.

"Right on time," Virgil confirmed.

"Yeah, you missed Grandma's beef stew." Alan pretended to gag, much to Gordon's amusement as he gave a quiet chuckle.

"Boys, I'd like to introduce you to my new associate, Gordon," she gestured to the man happily wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt. Little sacrifices, she assured herself. "Gordon, this is Virgil and Alan."

"Nice to meet you," the genie shook their hands, Penelope well aware that he had bottled up the desire to run straight for the water. "This place is amazing! Do you think I could go for a swim?" Ah, there went the cork.

"Oh, yeah!" Alan practically bounced. "We've got a pool or we could go down to one of the beaches? Ooo! Do you know how to surf?"

The teen's exuberance only helped to fan the flames as Gordon matched the tone, "Yes to all of it! That's okay, right?"

It took her far too long to realize he was asking for her permission, too taken aback by the blondes currently feeding off each other. "Of course, just stay with Alan."

'Is that a wish?' Gordon mouthed, the brothers unable to see.

She thought about it for a moment, but couldn't find any reason it could go wrong. If Alan got tired of him, she could reverse it, but seeing as how eager the boy looked to make a new friend, she didn't see that happening any time soon. So, she nodded.

"Yes!" His fingers snapped. "Alright, where to first?" Gordon was forced to wait and Parker slung a pack over his shoulder.

"You'll be needin' that," the chauffeur shook his head as he returned for Penelope's bags.

"Follow me! We can get changed over here!" Alan was already heading towards the locker rooms, Gordon following like an excited puppy.

She shook her head after he disappeared around the corner. "I do apologize. This is his first time this close to an ocean in years. He's normally not this energetic."

Virgil laughed, taking a few of the bags Parker had set out. "I don't think I've ever seen Alan this excited. It's nice." His smile softened as they began their trek to the lounge. "We keep forgetting how much younger he is. It'll be nice to have someone around who's closer to his age."

There was no reason to correct the engineer - Gordon's age irrelevant, but that didn't mean the statement wasn't true. Personality wise, the genie and Alan would be a good fit on this visit.

"Then I'm glad we came," which was the truth. The Tracys worked far too hard to miss out on the joys of life. If Alan needed a friend that could help alleviate some of the pressures of their job, then she would visit as often as they requested.

OoOoOoO

"And this is my 'bird!"

Gordon leaned against the railing to get a better view of the massive red rocket sitting quietly in her launch bay. He let out a long whistle, in awe of the impressive technology. The world's advancements had been one of the major shocks almost every time he was summoned. Going from horse drawn carriages to Corvettes and now Thunderbirds left his head spinning.

"She's gorgeous, Al," he pat the younger blonde on the back.

Alan's smile grew with the praise, but fell into a pout. "Too bad we can't take her up without an emergency."

"That would be pretty cool," Gordon lamented with the teen before hastily adding, "the taking her up part, not the emergency part. What do those usually entail anyway?"

"They can be pretty intense sometimes," Alan started as they hit the stairs. "There was one time I had to save some astronauts from space debris that had damaged their ship while simultaneously avoiding huge hunks of asteroids." It sounded like Alan found more excitement than wariness in such an endeavour.

"Sounds dangerous," Gordon grinned.

"Oh, it is."

They continued on down, both sporting blue scuba suits, detouring through the hangar towards one of the beaches. Alan had mentioned this was the only way to get to it, but part of him wondered if the kid just liked showing off his family's toys.

"And you usually have to go alone?" Gordon found that thought a bit alarming. Impressive, but Alan couldn't be more than nineteen. How could his brothers be comfortable sending him on missions alone?

"It's pretty rare I'm by myself," he shrugged. "One of my brothers or Kayo go with me, but there are occasions where we're spread pretty thin."

"What do yo-" One second, Gordon had been gungho to learn more and the next he was face to plexiglass tank with the sub that didn't need explanation. "Holy - wow - she's beautiful!"

"I guess," Alan laughed as Gordon pressed his hands against the clear surface, feeling the water's current on the other side. "We all know how to pilot Thunderbird 4, but I can't say she's our favorite."

"Awww - poor girl! I'd give anything to see how she swims."

"You'd have to convince Scott and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be thrilled I brought you down here before he met you." Alan didn't sound the slightest regretful. "C'mon, we'll go surfing and then we can ask him."

With one last longing glance at the yellow sub, Gordon quickly followed, the thought of getting into the water outweighing that of being inside Thunderbird 4. The beach - if that's what it could be called - was more of a man-made ramp cut out of the mountain. A supply closet had been set into the rock wall and housed equipment that Gordon didn't quite recognize, as well as an assortment of small boats, kayaks and surfboards.

All of that lost importance, however, as he took the first step into water. His eyes closed and every ounce of him fell away, through the ebb and flow as the waves rolled over his skin. He could feel her depth, her life that protected and provided. All of her power welcomed him as he stood at the ocean's edge.

A tap to his arm had his eyes open reluctantly to find a bright orange surfboard waiting for him.

"Thanks," Gordon took it with an appreciative smile.

"You okay, man?" Alan asked, adjusting his own board as he stepped up next to him.

"Yeah, just been a while since I got my feet wet." A toothy grin and he gestured to the waves that crashed farther out. "After you."

"Alright! Just stick close," the young blonde took a few steps out and placed the board down, propelling himself out. Gordon gleefully followed suit, letting his hands drag through the water with each stroke.

It seemed too short a trip before they stopped and Gordon was forced to sit up on the board. At least his feet were happy, his right hand toying with the surface and left keeping him propped up.

"We try to avoid that area," Alan was pointing towards an area that swirled and bubbled. Gordon could feel the rocky structures that the water buffeted against without needing further explanation.

"Gotcha, is it cool if I do something real quick?" Gordon was practically ready to crawl out of his skin.

Alan looked at him a bit confused, but shot him a thumbs up anyway. "Sure, what's that?"

"Time me," he undid the leash from his ankle and slid off the board into the dark water. "I'll just be a few minutes."

"Minutes?" The astronaut nearly shouted, but Gordon was already diving.

The sounds of the waves and ocean birds were gone, replaced by the dull churning of the currents. He reached down into the depths, moving effortlessly to go deeper as he felt something strange the farther he went. Curiosity had taken hold and before he knew it, Gordon was at the bottom.

He knew Alan hadn't followed, still sitting on his board at the surface, but the genie needed to keep in mind what was an appropriate amount of time for someone to stay under. Two minutes would be pushing it for an average person. Longer if you trained. The kid would only tolerate his absence for so long before calling for help.

He would be quick.

There, nestled in the sand, was a large hunk of metal. It was machinery, scared and torn. Gordon was left wondering just how it got there. He debated taking it back up until a little fish wriggled it's way out to search for food. Decision made, he left the makeshift home and added a question to ask Lady Penelope later.

Time to go back up. How long was that? The watch Penelope had given him said he'd been under for two and a half minutes, so with an urgency that wasn't necessary, Gordon darted for the surface.

Mischief flooded his senses, much like the sea, and he aimed for just behind his new friend's board. He surfaced soundlessly, treading water as he watched the worry begin to grow on the young man's face. Alright, maybe he was going a bit far.

"Whacha lookin' for?" Gordon asked cheerfully and chuckled when Alan jumped.

"Whoa! Where - how long were you down there?" Alan couldn't help laughing, as well.

"Three minutes, tops," Gordon climbed back up on his board, smoothing his wet hair out of his face. "This place is amazing!"

"Tell me about it!" Alan beamed. "It's so easy to forget sometimes. I know Lady Penelope said you guys might be staying a few days. There's plenty more to see, if you want."

"Absolutely! Now, let's see how well you surf," he let the challenge float between them.

"Oh, just you watch and see!"

Alan went first once they had positioned themselves just in range of the cresting waves. It was an impressive display of energy and a bit of showboating as he pulled off a decent 180 before cutting out as the wave crashed. He gave the signal for Gordon to go, sitting just out of the powerful foams reach.

As he paddled forwards, old memories of the last time he'd been given some freedom in the water came rushing back. It was so long ago, but the muscle memory along with his complete comfort in water made it easy to find his footing and glide down and across, kicking up ocean spray with each turn. It was exhilarating and he never wanted to stop.

Eventually, they would have to, but for now they had all afternoon and plenty of sunshine.

On their seventh run, however, Alan looked ready to call it quits.

"You wanna call it a day?" Gordon asked, not wanting to himself, but not thrilled with the possibility that the kid was pushing too hard to keep up with someone who couldn't physically tire.

"Gettin' tired, old man?" Alan teased, but he could see the grateful expression that came with the suggestion.

"Ha ha, you wish," Gordon smiled as he lay across his board.

"Alright, one run and we'll go take a break."

"Good plan, last one in gets to wax the boards."

"You're on!" The astronaut's hands dove into the water as he started the race without warning.

Gordon shouted in protest, but easily caught up as they made it to the cresting wave. It should have been a straight shot down the sloping water and onto the beach, but as the genie prepared to stand and his fingers brushed over the wave, something under the surface sent his heart jumping into his throat.

Alan was already up, gliding down the surface and there was no time to warn him.

He hit the mass hard, Alan flying forward as the board lagged from the impact. Gordon lost visuals on the kid, but the water said he was close to the surface, arms and legs propelling him up -

The sound of the board colliding with Alan's head echoed in Gordon's. A sickening, dull thud and then the wave was crashing around them. Over Alan. Behind the genie and pushing him away from the astronaut who desperately needed saving.

There was only one option and he lifted the watch to his mouth.


	7. Chapter 7

"Thank you, Virgil," Penelope accepted the cup of tea from the engineer who took a seat on the sofa next to hers in the lounge. John's hologram floated in the center, while Scott sat at their father's desk. The eldest's face held the pinched expression for when he was concerned, but this time, there was a war accompanying it. She had offered her complete trust in the man she had brought to their home, but little else as far as information.

"It's not that we don't trust your judgement, Lady Penelope," Scott started, willing to argue his point until he was satisfied that he'd covered all his bases. Penelope knew this and welcomed it. She preferred him to be cautious rather than blindly following her every whim. "It's just you said you met him a week ago, but John can't find anything about him -"

"And he won't," she took a sip of the tea, pleased she had left some of her own supply on the island.

"So, you can see why I'm worried," he put his emphasis on the last word. Of course he was worried. He had to keep his family and their father's legacy safe.

This time was different.

"Scott, I understand completely, but the issue here isn't if you can trust him," her gaze caught his, unwavering with the intent of her potential accusation. This was going to sting, but it would be necessary to instill the seriousness of her new companion's abilities. They were not to be taken lightly. "It's if I can trust all of you with him."

That certainly hit the mark as three sets of eyes looked at her like she'd just accused them of kidnapping Sherbert.

Another pair of eyes joined in just behind her as Kayo made her presence known - along with the knowledge she had overheard some, if not all of the conversation. "What do you mean trust us with him?"

How to put this in a way that wouldn't blatantly make her seem insane - "He's a very gifted individual. I can think of a few people who could cause great harm if they got their hands on him."

"Like the Hood?" Virgil presumed correctly.

"He would be at the top of that list." Along with countries whose leaders have just as much desire for power as the Hood.

Now, it seemed the tables had turned and Scott was squirming under the idea he or his family might mistreat anyone. "You know you can trust us, Lady Penelope. We'll respect your wishes in regards to what he can do, but we're going to need a bit more. If he is in trouble of being used, we need to know why and how."

"And you will, Scott, I promise," she gave him a sympathetic smile. "When he gets back, I'll need his help explaining it all. For now, Gordon just needs some time to be himself."

"Surfing with Alan?" The raven-haired brother questioned, his expression softening. He had been there to meet Gordon for the first time and been witness to the pent up energy. Alan was, in all honesty, the right Tracy for the job. Scott was wound too tight in procedure, John could barely handle coming down to earth, much less an exuberant and talkative stranger. Virgil understood all of this and it fed into his agreement. "Yeah, that's what I figured when he looked ready to claw his way through the hangar walls. If you trust him, that's enough for me."

"He did protect you," John voices subtly from space. Of the boys, she was closest to the red-head. He was her sounding board when she was working through a problem. He was also her first contact when her services were desired. Gordon keeping her safe would put him well above John's requirements for trust.

Penelope turned to Scott and Kayo, waiting for an answer. The woman might not be thrilled with being left in the dark, but she understood the power of delicate news that might cause people grief. "I'm willing to hear you out once he's here."

That left Scott. Grandma Tracy would need to voice her opinion as well, but she tended to agree to what her grandsons chose in the end. The eldest brother would be the main one to convince and she was hoping he would take the hint and wait until later to pass judgment.

The brunette's face was calm, but she could still see the battle raging within. He let out a low sigh, as he absently ran his fingers over Jeff's desk. Scott wore a heavy burden, but she would be one of the last to intentionally hurt him. He would see in time that Gordon was worth the wait.

"Alright, we'll wait until Alan brings him back up. It shouldn't be too long-" the sound of a comm chiming had them all searching the room.

Penelope had her compact out of her purse in one fluid motion and the lid flipped open to show Gordon's communication code. She activated the link with her thumb and watched his worried face appear before her.

"Gordon?"

"Penny! I need you to wish Alan to you, now!" He didn't try to hide the fear in his voice and it echoed around the group, sending eyes wide with the call to action.

She hesitated only a second, certain it was an emergency if he was willing to out himself without warning. "I wish Alan was in the lounge."

No one had a chance to ask what was going on as a second later the room filled with thick smoke. It dissipated quickly through the open balcony to reveal the two blondes that had been absent.

And one wasn't moving.

"Help!" Gordon shouted as he fell to his knees by Alan.

Maybe it was the urgency behind such a familiar word to this family, but it shocked them out of their awed stupor. Magic be damned - their brother was in trouble.

Penelope hung back as she watched Scott and Virgil begin their assessment of Alan's injuries. Gordon quickly explained what had happened and how long the young man had been under. He eventually made it over to her with a frightened expression that sent her heart plummeting.

"Are you alright?" She felt breathless against the severity of the moment, placing her hand on his arm as they watched everyone work.

He nodded unconvincingly, his eyes glued to the teen. "Is he breathing?"

Penelope focused on Virgil who was hovering over Alan's head, while Scott returned with a large pack of medical equipment. They hadn't started any CPR or rescue breathing, so that was good, right?

"I think so - John?" Sapphire turned to find the astronaut staring directly at her - at Gordon. "John?" She tried harder. This wasn't the time.

"His vitals are stable," he offered without averting his gaze.

As if to add further relief to the statement, they heard Scott's voice, gently commanding his little brother to hold still.

"S'ott? Mmm-ow..." Alan's voice floated through the lounge and she felt Gordon physically relax under her touch.

"Don't move, Sprout," Virgil ordered this time and it appeared to make it through the ache as Alan's arms stopped shuffling over the floor. "You took a pretty significant blow to the head with a surfboard."

"Or so we've been told," Scott groused as he placed the collar around his little brother's neck.

"Och - yeah -" Alan winced, taking a few breaths through his nose and out trembling lips. "Hit somethin' with my board."

The sound of footsteps drew Penelope's attention to Kayo, hoverstretcher in tow. There was one thing about International rescue she appreciated - they were fast. They had Alan secured and off to the infirmary for scans before any more questions could be asked. Once he was gone, however, Scott and John remained, the elder whirling on her with a glare born of fear and ignorance. She couldn't blame him for being angry.

Gordon made a move to follow the young astronaut, but her hand held him firm, whispering a quick, "stay" before regarding the commander of IR once more.

His eyes moved to Gordon. "What are you?"

Perfect.

Now that the genie knew Alan was in good hands, all of his attitude was back and written all over his face. "Excuse me?"

"Sorry, I meant what _the hell_ are you? What did you do to my brother?" Scott never handled backtalk well and it seemed Gordon thrived on it.

"I saved his life," Gordon stated plainly, arms looping over his chest. "So, you're welcome."

This wasn't helping matters and the Tracys deserved an explanation before it went too far. "Gentlemen, please. Scott, if you'll let me explain -"

"What did you bring onto our island? You want us to trust him, but now I've got a brother getting his head scanned, so I'm sorry if I'm upset!"

"Scott!" John's voice boomed through the room, amplified by the speakers.

The pilot shot a look to his brother's hologram, but didn't speak. Penelope watched him take a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I'm going to check on Alan," his words were strained as he tried to hold back the need for more answers. "Stay here."

Penelope had no intentions of leaving, but as soon as Scott disappeared around the corner, Gordon started to twitch.

"Gordon?"

"You wished for me to stay with Alan - he's getting a little far," he gave her an apologetic smile.

"Oh, sorry," she glanced to John, still hovering over them. "I wish for you to stay with me."

Immediately after a quick snap, he stilled, his shoulders sagging. "I'm sorry."

Penelope frowned, maneuvering him to take a seat on the sofa. "None of that now. You saved Alan's life and that's all that matters."

"Pissed off old blue eyes though," a humorless laugh as his face fell in his hands.

She felt a smile pull at her lips at the comment, "Since when has that brought you concern? I thought you enjoyed getting under people's skin?"

Amber peeked around his palm and the amusement was only marginally dampened by the scraggly bangs that dripped onto the floor. "Yeah, but you don't - and now they're probably all pissed."

"Understandably so." John interjected in a tone typically not directed towards her.

There was a moment Penelope thought about asking him to give them a moment alone, but another idea presented itself and she took a seat next to the genie. She currently had the most logical brother's full attention.

"John, I have a question that might help with our situation." It was the right strategy as he regarded her with a nod. "What would be the best way to get you all to believe my friend here is a genie?"

OoOoOoO

Scott walked beside Virgil, but he wasn't completely present. His mind was still reeling with what had happened not an hour ago. Alan was stable and being monitored by Brains. Kayo had already left to keep an eye on Lady Penelope's friend.

And that was the worst part.

They had all witnessed the strange events in the lounge and their friend had never given them reason not to trust her. So much of him wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, but the other part - the part that honestly mattered - wanted to keep his family safe.

"Deep breath, Scott," Virgil edged closer, letting his arm brush against the eldest's. It was the best the engineer could do while Scott was on edge, baring the chance to go for a run.

"Kind of difficult when I don't understand what's going on," he growled as they stepped into the elevator.

"Which is why I suggest you take a second to calm down," Virgil voiced, one dark brow lifting. "Lady Penelope said she would explain."

Regardless of his earlier statement, the commander took a breath, letting his eyes shut with the release of tension. "I know - but I keep thinking what if she's compromised? She's only known the guy for a week. A week! It took me months before she would talk to me about anything other than the assignments Dad had for her and her father! I thought she hated us, and now, she treats Gordon like they've known each other for years."

"So, we use caution, but you're angry, Scott. That's not going to help anyone if anything goes south."

"It already has…" It was grumbled under his breath, but the concerned look on his brother's face made him straighten. "Fine, I'll try not to tear his head off. Stoic Scott until we all come to an understanding."

Virgil chuckled, surprising the brunette enough to shoot him a quizzical glance. "I've not seen you achieve 'stoic' yet. This should be interesting."

Scott frowned, just hearing the chime of the elevator door as it opened. "I beg to differ, but I get first dibs if we're throwing him off the island."

"All yours, big brother."

And they were back in the lounge.

And so was John.

He was standing in the center with his hand clasped over his mouth, eyes staring straight at the smirking blonde now in a Hawaiian shirt - the wetsuit draped over the patio overhang. Scott's brain stammered to a halt, as did his feet. Logic was screaming profanities at the image along with the ramifications of his space-happy brother coming down to earth too quickly. That part seemed to take hold and his feet started working again as he grabbed Virgil's shocked form and pulled him towards the small group.

"John, you need to sit down," the words sounded ludacris coming out of his mouth - john was supposed to be in space - but the sway and shake of the astronaut's limbs was proof they were warranted.

He didn't make it far before Scott was forced to take two running steps to catch the red-head as he slumped. The pilot lowered him the rest of the way, stepping back as Virgil took his place and he turned livid eyes to glare at the blondes.

Scott wanted to yell. It would be justifiable to kick them off the island, but a grip on his arm stopped him long enough to look back at John. Green eyes bore into him in warning.

"Let them talk," the astronaut's voice was calm despite the strain his body was under.

"But John -"

"No - you need to listen."

"Did he do this to you?" He asked, digging his heels in to contain his rage.

"Yes," and the grip on his arm kept Scott from jumping up. "Scott! He did it because I asked him to."

"What?" Virgil asked, more surprised than angry. "Why?"

"Because he made a wish," the blonde man's voice offered as though that would explain everything.

It didn't and John's grip had lost its ability to keep the eldest in place. Their guest didn't move as Scott put himself between them, towering over the blonde.

"Give me one reason I shouldn't throw you off our island," the growl would've sent a larger man quaking.

Gordon didn't seem phased as he tilted his head back to look him in the eye. "Make a wish, Mr. Tracy."

"I wish I knew what the hell you were!" He snapped without thinking twice and felt his anger grow with the wide grin that spread over the man's face.

Amber turned to regard Lady Penelope, but Scott didn't bother seeing what her response was. The smile was still in place when he turned back. Gordon took one step away before undoing the top button of his shirt. It was over his head and landing in the London agent's hand.

"What are you doing?" The rage shifted to confusion as he watched the denim jeans slip down to his ankles to reveal the boxers underneath.

"Lady P bought me these. I'm not about to mess them up." The blonde shrugged.

"Gordon, not the boxers," the woman in question warned as his thumbs pulled at the elastic.

The man's expression was unimpeded by her command and he made his way to the balcony overlooking the pool. With his back to it, his eyes found Scott's, mischief reeking havoc through them.

"Your wish is my command," Gordon said, a hand lifting with the sound of his snap echoing through the room.


	8. Chapter 8

Wind began to whip around the lounge, spawning from nowhere that Virgil could discern. He couldn't explain what was happening, resorting to dragging John back over the lip of the couch for cover. Scott still stood, frozen in the middle of the room. Penelope had stepped back as well, but her expression was that of intrigued excitement.

The gusts grew in strength, encircling Gordon who watched them, a smile still on his face. Streaks of translucent blue began to travel up his bare arms and legs, across his chest and torso, dissolving the flesh until they could see right through him. At his center appeared to be a bright glow that intensified with the wind.

And then, the pool erupted into a swirling water spout, streams of fluid engulfing the figure and pulling him from the lounge. It grew in mass, the top solidifying into the magnified version of Penelope's companion. The base of him continued to spin like a crystalline tornado.

The bright white grin was unmistakable as Gordon smiled and crossed his immense arms over his chest. "To answer more clearly," his voice boomed around them. "I am the wielder of the universe's infinite power, able to command matter anywhere in the galaxy with the snap of my finger. I - Scott Tracy - am a genie."

His form shifted, floating forward and into the room to come face to face with the brunette. Scott didn't move, though his arms lifted to shield himself from the spray of water that traveled with the wind.

"Does this fulfill your wish?"

Virgil watched his brother nod hesitantly and the genie laughed, the sound bubbling with amusement. His size dramatically shrank and the translucent blue form coalesced back into the man from before. The tan skin spread over the blue and within seconds, the wind and spray were gone and it was as though nothing had happened.

"Gordon, boxers." Lady Penelope chastised, eyes averted.

It was almost comical to see the powerful being reduced to frantically searching for the lost garment. He found it and pulled them on, ignorant to the effect he'd had on the other men in the room.

"Holy shit!"

That caught Gordon's attention as he stumbled mid way into the boxers, a wholehearted laugh bursting from him. "There he goes. Feeling better? Not about to bust a vessel?"

"Hooooly sh-"

"It's alright, Scott," Penelope cut in to hand the genie his clothes.

"Can I get some help?" Gordon pointed to the water soaked shorts.

"I wish you boxers were dry," she didn't hesitate, ever her composed self.

There was another snap and a ball of water collected from the fabric, Gordon rolling it around in his hands before tossing it off the balcony with an audible smack into the pool below.

Virgil's mouth felt dry, wide open and unresponsive as he tried to comprehend what was happening. He felt John move and took the hint to move himself, holding onto his brother as they stood. The astronaut draped his arm over Virgil's shoulders, gravity working heavily on his muscles.

"Lady Penelope, how - how is this even possible?" The engineer stammered.

"Your guess is as good as mine," her smile said it wasn't at all important. "However, this is what I wanted to discuss with you all. Gordon is, in fact, a genie and I was hoping he could be of some assistance to your organization."

"Wait, what?" Scott had recovered from his stupor, attention redirected to the London agent. "What do you mean?"

"Gordon, here, has already witnessed what my job entails, and though he is quite useful, I believe his talents might be better suited for rescues." Penelope met each of their awestruck gazes and the possibilities of what she seemed to be proposing made their way across Virgil's mind. Could they simply wish people to safety like Penelope had done for Alan? Seal up an erupting volcano with the snap of his fingers?

But was this a secret? How would they explain how people were magically transported into Thunderbird 2 without using that exact terminology?

Too many questions were accompanying the news still freshly being digested and Virgil knew they would need time to think. "This is - a lot to take in, Lady Penelope."

"Understandably, which is why I requested an extended stay on Tracy Island," she clicked in another piece to the puzzle. "Get to know him, hopefully build a bit more trust, and then you can decide. All of you. Does that sound feasible?"

"It does," John answered, finally able to stay up right without Virgil's full support. "Scott?"

The eldest was still standing with the slack jawed expression, blue eyes staring at Gordon as if waiting for some kind of retribution. The blonde actually looked relaxed, staring out at the ocean like no one else was in the room.

"Okay…" The brunette seemed to find his voice. "He can stay, just - no more of that," he gestured to the pool. "Please."

"Not a problem," Gordon grinned, having returned his attention to the group. "Just don't wish for it again and you're all good."

"I wished for that?" Apparently, Scott's earlier anger had been squashed by the genie's reveal.

"Yeah, I'd say it was a waste, but I haven't been able to stretch like that in ages!" He laughed and the smile was infectious. "Thanks, Scott! I'll be sure to help you out next time."

"John," Virgil blinked with the realization of what his space bound brother had done to get here, but needing proof. "Your wish was to come home?"

The redhead nodded with a grimace. "In hindsight, not one of my more intelligent decisions, but what else do you do when a friend offers you a wish? Plus, I really wanted to go see how Alan was doing."

"Oh! Can we go see him? Tell him the news?" Gordon bounced eagerly.

Penelope regarded the brothers, expectantly. The ball was in their court now. She was trusting them to handle this - to trust Gordon with their family. The longer they were silent, however, the corner of the genie's smile twitched. And Virgil saw it. That crease of the forehead that Scott got when he was worried and the nervous tap of his bare foot on the hardwood. Gordon was asking permission because he was worried. He'd rescued their little brother from drowning after witnessing the trauma. He needed to know that the kid was okay as much as they liked to check in on the victims they rescued. It would be torture to deny him.

"We could," Virgil aimed towards Scott. "Brains should be finished with the scans."

The commander caught his eye, a mutual understanding floating between the two eldest, before a hand carded through the disheveled brunette strands. "Alright."

"That's a yes?" Bright didn't do justice to the inflection in Gordon's voice.

"It's a yes, but-" Scott's hand lifted to calm the genie's excitement. "We'll explain what's going on to Alan. Brains and Kayo will need to know too."

"That's fine with me," Gordon was bouncing from foot to foot. Virgil was just as eager to check on Alan, but now there was the added weight of what they'd just learned and the effects it might have on their little brother.

"I can go down first and give him a heads up," the engineer offered. "And take John with me." He took the astronaut's arm at the grumble in protest. "Your own fault you came down too fast."

There was no strong comeback for that, seeing as how well versed John was in his own safety. A nod from Scott and he helped lead the red-head to the elevator and to the next task at hand.

OoOoOoO

He'd been sent to retrieve the boards and his shoes, which was a welcome change to being scrutinized by Scott. The man had much more understanding, but that didn't exactly mean he trusted Gordon. The commander saw power that could be used against his family. The genie couldn't blame him for being weary.

Now that the boards were secure and he'd managed to grab his shoes on the way back, Gordon found himself somewhat reserved as they made their way to the infirmary. He didn't want to cause the kid any more trouble than someone with a head injury needed, but he also wanted to see if there was anything he could do.

As they neared their destination, however, all hesitation left at the excited chatter flowing from the open door. The smiling blonde on the bed was all Gordon needed to know things were going to be okay.

"Hey!" The wince that accompanied the greeting didn't help, though. "You're a genie?!"

"Right to it then?" Gordon laughed as he watched the ice pack reapplied by an irked Virgil. "Yes, yes I am."

"And you made Scott wet his pants?!"

There was a cacophony of laughter and shrieks in protest. Scott's face had grown red as he quickly explained how that was not the case and Virgil needed to get his facts straight. The engineer simply defended himself with a gentle flick of Alan's shoulder.

"So do we all get a wish or are there only three and these two wasted them?" A cleared throat from the red-head. "Sorry, John. So only one more wish?" Gordon had the impression that Alan would be bouncing on the spot if not for his brothers and the bag of ice on his head.

"Not quite, Al," and his grin grew. "I'm Lady Penelope's genie until she's no longer - alive." That explanation never got any easier and the eyes that flicked between himself and the London agent showed the rest of the group's discomfort. "She can make any and as many wishes as she likes. She allowed John and Scott to make one for the purpose of explaining my abilities."

The younger blonde frowned as he took this in, "so can we make more wishes?" His hand gestured to himself and Virgil, then to Kayo. Gordon quickly assumed the other two people in the room were Brains and Grandma.

His smile stayed in place as he turned to Penelope. "Up to her."

Of course, she nodded, more than happy to oblige her friends. She'd explained so much about them and what they did over the week before their visit. It was no wonder Penelope thought his services could be best used here.

As Gordon turned back to regard Alan, the kid's finger was pointing to his head. "Would you be able to get rid of this? The injury, I mean! Not my head."

He wanted to laugh, but the consequences of such a wish choked him before it could escape. "Not a good idea, kid." When he was met with confused frowns, he elaborated. "Wishes come with a price. Some are worth the risk. Others aren't. If you wish your injury away, it goes to someone else. I'm pretty sure, with your line of work, you wouldn't be willing to do that."

"I'll take it," Scott didn't hesitate to volunteer. It sent a warmth through the genie's chest to witness how willing the eldest was to take care of his family.

"No way, Scott," Alan practically growled. "Then you'd be hurt and it'd be my fault. No, I can handle being grounded."

"What if there's a rescue and Thunderbird 3 is needed?" The brunette continued in protest.

"I don't know, but I'm not going to make that wish." Two pairs of blue eyes flashed in defiance.

"And arguing isn't going to help you get better," Virgil interjected, pulling both back to reality. "Make a different wish, Sprout."

The ice pack shifted with the teen as his attention returned to Gordon and suddenly there was a heaviness written over his face. Like a wish that had always been there, but never able to be answered. His mouth opened to speak, but quickly closed as his eyes sought the help he needed to ask.

"What's your wish, Alan?" The genie coaxed gently.

The blonde swallowed as his eyes grew watery. Then his lips parted and the most painful of wishes left him.

"I wish I knew what happened to Dad."


	9. Chapter 9

The silence that took over was palpable as all eyes fell on the young astronaut. Gordon watched as John took their grandmother's hand when it seemed she might lose her balance, helping lead her into a chair.

"Alan -" Penelope asked, her voice softer than he had ever heard. "Are you certain that's what you want?"

The teen seemed to realize just what his wish had caused in the those around him and he faulted slightly. Gordon knew this part of their history - knew how their father had been lost. It wasn't too far fetched that the youngest would want to know more having spent so short a time with the man.

When blue eyes met amber, Gordon offered a subtle nod of encouragement. The genie had suffered his own heartache at losing people he cared about and never knowing what happened. He could find the answers, whether good or bad. It was worth knowing.

Another second ticked in silence before he gave a quiet "yes." Alan's gaze never left his.

"Alright," she sounded sad, but Penelope would trust him not to hurt this family. "Gordon?"

"I'll try my best to warn you, but the wish will dictate that I have to tell you everything," he spoke as he took a step closer to the bed, centering himself for the task ahead.

"We understand," Alan turned to the others. "Right, guys?"

A solemn breath from Scott and silence from the others filled the room before the eldest regarded the genie. "Go."

It was simple and all Gordon needed to do was lift his hand, a sad smile on his face. "I'll be back soon."

Snap, and he was gone.

OoOoOoO

Soon seemed to be a relative time frame dependent on how long it would actually take the genie to figure out just what they needed to know. The longer the wait, however, the more painful each second grew.

But maybe it was just the head injury.

_No_, Alan thought as he toyed with the ice pack, feeling the slosh of the coolant gel under his fingertips. The ache wasn't in his head. His chest felt tight and his stomach kept turning with the thought of what Gordon would bring back. The answers couldn't be pleasant, but he needed to know.

"You okay, Allie?" Scott set a gentle hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. The lines on his older brother's face said more than the calm in his voice. This wish hurt. It was painful for all of them and he suddenly felt so selfish.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, feeling the hot tears stinging his eyes. "I shouldn't 've-"

"Hey, kiddo, it's okay," the eldest kept his voice low as he looped an arm over the teen's shoulder and pulled him against his chest. "This is supposed to be difficult, but at least we get to know - Dad would've wanted us to know."

"But what if -" the blonde took a shuddering breath, trying to quell the nausea brought on by the concussion and nerves. "What if it was really bad?"

Scott had been the one to step up when their father disappeared and also the one who had the final say on when they stopped looking. It had been beyond difficult to fathom back them, but now, he seemed to wear all of that weight at once. What if Dad had been alive and they'd given up on him? He would have died alone, wondering why his family had never come.

Another squeeze to his shoulder and Alan found his brother smiling down at him. "No matter what happens, Alan, we can't regret the past. We did what we could. Dad understood that bad things happen and not everyone come be saved. Including himself." Scott took the ice pack and placed it back on the sizable lump under the blonde hair. "But we can always have hope."

The chill of the gel quickly set into the swelling and Alan found himself leaning heavily into Scott's chest. The hand on his shoulder began to drag up and down, making it impossible to keep his eyes open. Part of him knew this was a bad idea, but he would leave it up to his brothers to figure that out.

But, when the hand stopped and the fingers clasped to his shirt, Alan pulled his eyes open to see what had distracted his brother. It didn't take much to notice the swirl of smoke forming in the room and the figure at its center.

Suddenly, he was awake, staring unblinking at Gordon's face. Alan wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but the calm expression only served to send his heart pounding.

"You found him?" Scott voiced the question they all had and the genie nodded. The arm around his shoulders tightened, though Alan figured it was more for the pilot than himself. He was Scott's anchor, giving him focus in keeping his little brother safe.

"What happened?" Alan managed through his increasingly dry throat.

Gordon's expression softened as he met the teen's question. "I'm going to give you the short answer since I believe that will suffice."

His words made the knot in Alan's gut twist and he let the breathless "okay" slip out before he could stop it.

And the genie smiled. "You dad's ship didn't explode. It launched."

The apprehension turned quickly to confusion, which seemed to be true for all his brothers as their voices merged into a combination of huh's and what's. Alan just stayed silent, staring at Gordon like he might've said it wrong. The smile remained, though.

"What do you mean 'launched'?" Scott asked.

"I mean, he launched - into space." And that grin widened just a bit more. "And he's waiting for someone to wish him home." Amber shifted to lock onto Grandma, still supported by John.

"He's alive -" she whispered through her fingers as though any louder would ruin it and they would all find out this was some terrible joke.

"Yes, ma'am, and about ready to handle some of your cooking?" Gordon's head tilted with a hint of confusion. "His words, not mine."

A laugh - though choked with a sob - sounded from the elder woman. She nodded through the tears, her voice shaky as she didn't wait a second longer. "I wish my son was home."

Lady Penelope leaned forward, whispering something to Gordon before the genie could turn to ask. And then, a snap - so loud Alan thought he might go deaf from its impact. Smoke flooded the infirmary, swirling into a pillar and rippling over the ceiling.

Alan had been shocked to see Gordon disappear just moments ago, but this had him clinging to Virgil's and Scott's hands. It wasn't loud - no earth shaking rumbles - just wind and clouds that condensed at the center of the room.

And just as quickly, it all stopped, the smoke falling to the floor.

No one spoke.

No one moved.

Except Gordon, who stepped forward took the lone figure's arm before he could fall to the floor.

He - Dad - that was their Dad!

The second ticked and then everyone was moving. Virgil and Scott dropped his hands and took over for the genie, lifting their father from the floor and helping him over to the bed next to Alan's. The helmet was removed and lain on the end of the bed, a collective intake of shuddered breath leaving them in silence once more.

"Hello, boys," Jeff rasped, fingers digging weakly into his eldest son's arm as blue eyes flitted between each face and glistening with tears. "It worked? I'm not dreaming?"

Alan found his view obstructed as Grandma stood, John following. The pain in his head spiked as he tried to move, wanting desperately to be a part of the most impossible thing to happen to him. A tear slid free with the frustration until a hand landed on his arm and he found Gordon smiling at him.

"Am I allowed to move you?" He asked hesitantly.

"Doesn't matter if you're not," the astronaut ignored the sniffle, already shifting to get off the bed. Gordon did his part in supporting the teen over to the bed where his father was currently wrapped in their grandmother's arms. If it weren't for the genie's arm around his back, Alan knew he would be on the floor as his head spun and chest burned.

Another arm took his other side and he looked up to see Virgil, tears streaking over his cheeks. Gordon shifted to allow the elder brother to take charge, but Alan's hold on the Hawaiian shirt was the only communication needed to let the genie know he wasn't allowed to leave.

"Alan?" There was concern in his father's voice, as well as a significant level of awe. "Is that you?"

"H-hey, Dad," an unruly number of tears fell.

"Oh, Allie," a shaky glove lifted and he was helped to the side of the bed, giving up his hold on Gordon to take his father's hand. "You're all grown up."

"You've been gone a long time," Scott explained from the head of the bed.

"But -" Jeff faltered. "It was only two years…" His weathered eyes clenched against the onslaught of information. "Ah no - light years… I'm so sorry boys. I didn't -"

"No-no, Dad," the eldest worked to quiet the guilt they could all hear. "This isn't your fault. You saved the world with what you did."

"We're just glad your back," John voiced what everyone was thinking.

"Damn miracle," a harsh exclamation from Virgil. His second eldest brother pulled him closer. "Good call, kiddo."

Eyes shifted to him and Alan could feel all the appreciation brought on by one wish. "I - it just - it seemed like the only thing worth wishing for."

His father's smile was warm as his hand cupped his youngest's face. "Oh Alan, it certainly has made my lifetime. Thank you so much."

More tears fell at the touch and praise. "Love you, Dad."

"I love you, too - all of you." And they were all content to cling to the family they never thought they would see again.

OoOoOoO

Gordon had relinquished Alan to his brothers, unsure of what else to do until he turned to find a very pale Penelope watching, wide eyed. He took the few steps needed to reach her, letting her wrap trembling arms around his chest. They stayed that way while the others talked and cried and just soaked in each other's presence. It wasn't until Penelope pushed herself away did he feel comfortable letting her stand on her own.

"Thank you," she whispered, her hand still on his arm.

"Just doing my job, M'lady," he smiled to her, wiping one of the errant tears from her cheek.

They watched the family reunion a while longer before they felt the need to give them some privacy. They located Parker in the kitchen in the process of making Sherbert's lunch and a snack for himself. At first sight of Penelope's slight dishevelment, he abandoned the task.

"What's 'appened? Is young Alan alright?" The chauffeur asked as he met them.

"Yes, Parker, nothing to worry about," she paused, seeming to think better of what she'd said. "Actually, that's not quite - he's still injured, I'm afraid, but there's been a development."

"A development?" The elder man's eyes shifted to Gordon who took the initiative to lead Penelope to the patio.

"Let's talk outside," he didn't give his mistress the chance to argue as he led her to the cushioned lounger and let her sit. The breeze off the ocean was warm, a stark contrast to the ship Gordon had found Jeff Tracy on. He understood what their father had been through - alone for years. Finding him had created a need in the genie to soak in all he could from the earth.

"Out with it then, mister Gordon," Parker snapped, not thrilled with the effect Jeff's return was having on her ladyship.

"Alan made a wish," he stated, simply. "I found their father."

Parker's brow knit with confusion. "Found 'ow exactly? Is 'e - alive?"

"Very much alive and in the infirmary with his family," a grin pulled across his face at the sudden exclamation that slipped through the chauffeur's lips. He moved to allow the Parker to sit as well. "I think it'd be nice to set up some kind of welcome back party for them, whaddya say, Lady P?"

The London agent gave the pug a loving scratch behind his ears, brightening at the idea. He loved how easy it was to read her right now. She always worked to make other people's lives easier or more rewarding. It was one of the reasons she had suggested they visit the Tracys. If she could help the family, she would.

And she had.

"Where would you like to start?" Penelope posed the question to him.

"Really?" Gordon found himself moderately taken aback by the offer. "You want me to plan it?"

"Why not? You've done wonders today. You deserve something fun." Her smile sparkled in the sun shining through the draped canopy. "So, what should we wish for?"

He thought for a moment, trying to consider what might be too much, where everything would come from and just how the newly returned father would handle it. Maybe just food, a cake, and once everyone was given a chance to settle, they could go big. Gordon had a wealthy banquet he could pull the food from, preventing most of it from going to waste as it had been set up for a single person who believed in over-extravagance.

He was coming to a head with his ideas when they heard the elevator door open and the sound of quick moving steps. Scott appeared a second later, his face set in a hard line as he strode towards them.

"Is everything alright?" Penelope asked, but Gordon could already tell what was about to happen and tried his best not to flinch. Arms wrapped around him in an intense hug that lifted him from the ground with a yelp.

He got the distinct feeling that this was well out of the commander's norm as he quickly released him. "Thank you - I can't - gah! Just thank you! I'm so sorry for before. We owe you so much."

"Scott," Gordon laughed, lifting hands to ward off further groveling. "It's okay, this is what I do. I'm just happy it worked out for the better." Because this could have gone down a dark path if he hadn't discovered their father was alive. Gordon's memory flashed back to a time his master had wished for him to find a child who had been kidnapped, only to find out they were too late. That one had been rough, but he had been able to offer the family closure. That had to mean something. "So how is he?"

"Good - great! Hungry, actually. That's one of the reasons I came up." Scott spoke a mile a minute and Gordon caught the slight glimmer in the blue eyes. "What do I make a man who's been gone for so many years?"

"Ah, well, we were just discussing that," Penelope smiled, her eyes on the genie "Gordon, what do you suggest?"

He grinned, knowing exactly what was needed. "Just wish for food and I'll bring in a spread fit for a king."

Her brow rose questioningly, "from where?"

The smile spread with how adept she was getting with the rules. "Oh, I know a guy. Worst kind of wasteful scumbag. He won't miss it."

Blonde ringlets bobbed as Penelope nodded. "Alright, I wish for food for our celebration."

Oh, they would be celebrating for quite some time with how much he was about to obtain and with the reaction Gordon had witnessed down stairs, he knew it would be worth it. A life had been renewed. Nothing got better than that.


	10. Chapter 10

"Seriously? 'Cause if you're just messing with me, I will have my mistress wish a thousand sardines into your dresser. You'll smell of fish for years."

An uncontained laugh echoed around the hangar as Virgil stood in front of Thunderbird 4's docking station, the genie staring wide eyed and sceptical between him and the yellow sub. It had been only a handful of days since their father's return, the man rebounding impressively fast to Earth's gravity, but only in his ability to move around their home with shorter breaks and mild arguments that he could handle the stairs. Jeff Tracy was a lot of things and stubborn sat triumphantly at the top.

They'd managed to keep him from pushing too hard by setting Alan in his path. The kid's concussion was still fairly debilitating and kept him from video games, sunlight, and the holovids. The trick to handling a bored Alan was throwing an equally worried Scott or Jeff at him. The eldest son had been more than willing to hand the reins over to their father.

Now, however, they were one man down. It would be another couple of weeks before their little brother was ready and much longer before Jeff would take the helm of base command. That meant another brother would have to stay with the two in order to keep them out of trouble. Lady Penelope had offered as well, but her job required a lot more of her attention than she'd been able to delay over the week she had set aside to introduce Gordon.

Which led them to their current offer. If her ladyship wished it, Gordon could learn and take charge of their submersible. Alan's idea, but agreed upon by the rest. They would be lucky to have him.

"We wouldn't joke about this," Virgil's face hurt with how much he'd been grinning at the exuberance of the blonde. "We're going to be short handed and it's obvious how much you like her. How long do you think it would take you to learn her controls?"

"Ahhhhh - ummm... that could be a bit complicated." Gordon fluctuated between excited and regretful. "There's a really easy way, but with bad consequences, or we go with the slow way that's safer and read the user's manual."

"User's manual it is then," a dark brow rose with curiosity. "What's the first option, exactly?"

Gordon offered a weary smile, looking very much like Alan when he was trying to hide the fact he'd done something stupid or dangerous, usually both. "Well, if Lady Penelope wishes for me to have the ability to pilot Thunderbird 4, I'd have to get that ability from someone else who knows how."

"And the consequence to that?" It didn't seem like that bad an idea.

"That person loses the ability to pilot her," the genie's lips thinned, sucking in a breath through his nose before letting it out. "And I mean, they lose everything they knew about this sub. Not worth it, if you ask me."

"Ah, duly noted," the engineer felt a wave of nausea at the idea of losing any part of the 'birds, even the ones he didn't pilot as often. Thunderbird 4 tended to fall under Alan's care. Virgil would monitor from Two while his little brother tried to repair what he could and get out whoever had been trapped. That didn't mean he wanted to be useless around the sub.

Lady Penelope joined them as they made their way towards the simulation hub. "I take it you like our agreement?"

Gordon beamed, glancing over his shoulder to the Thunderbird in question. "Won't see me complaining!"

"So, what's the next step?" They stopped in front of the computer and Virgil got the impression Gordon was a bit concerned.

"Well," and he sighed like someone about to do something they hadn't had to in a long time. "I just gotta learn from here." He pointed to the simulator. "Wishing for some intense focus and the ability to learn quickly might help. I could just borrow those."

Virgil had to wonder who from when it came to their technology. "How about we just start with the basics. If you run into trouble, we can talk to Brains and John. Of all of us, they'd probably fit the description of focused and quick learners."

"Oooh, good call!" The genie agreed. "Good thing I don't need to sleep."

The ramifications of that hit the engineer full in the chest. They had a potential member of International rescue who wouldn't tire, suffer from fatigue after a twenty-plus hour rescue, didn't need a day to recover. It meant a great deal more could be done if Gordon were able to facilitate with all rescues. That's if he was willing. Virgil honestly hoped he was.

"Let's get started, then," he pulled up the first page of schematics. "This is the Thunderbird class deep sea submersible. She's rated for 36,000 feet, but Brains believes she can handle further."

The sheer delight that brightened Gordon's face as he leaned against the console to admire Four sent a thrill of admiration though Virgil. He could see the same love that he felt for his own ship, which only solidified their decision even more.

"I'll leave you boys to it then," there was laughter in Penelope's voice that showed she had seen it too. "Don't hesitate if you need anything." She eyed them both before heading for the elevator.

"Ditto!" Gordon shouted back as his hand spun the miniature version of Four in the hologram. "How do you get in?"

"There are two access points here and here," Virgil pointed to the rear and underside. "This one has a dry tube that allows you to dock with another vessel if the need arises. Most rescues tend to involve cycling through the back."

"You guys get a lot of underwater emergencies?" The question didn't surprise him, but the answer did. He hadn't given it much thought, but there were a lot of times when they just didn't have anyone available for rescues where Thunderbird 4 was necessary. They hadn't abandoned the victims, but it did involve a great deal of work on John's end, instructing distraught crews on how to rescue themselves.

"Yeah," he couldn't keep the sober tone out of his voice. "More than we can handle sometimes."

Gordon frowned, easily understanding what that could mean. "So the faster I learn, the better, right?"

"Right," yet Virgil had his own questions invading his concentration. "Can I ask -" the genie kept his attention on the sub, but nodded. "You're how old?"

Gordon chuckled, "I lost count after three hundred, but I'd guess almost twelve - hundred."

"Twelve hundred… years?"

"Give or take, but a lot of it I spent waiting for someone to run into my lamp." Virgil saw the flicker of discomfort in that particular topic. The thought of being trapped for centuries made him wonder how it might have affected the genie, but from what he'd seen so far, Gordon was a pretty good guy. The Tracys would just have to work to make his time spent with them worthwhile.

"That had to suck," Virgil tried to offer a sympathetic smile, but it felt insufficient. Gordon just grinned back and there was so much excitement behind his amber eyes that it eased the ache in the engineer's chest. "Well then, we'll work a little more and then I'll take you out for some hands on experience. Sound good?"

The genie's eyes lit up even more, their conversation from seconds ago lost to the eagerness to be out at sea. "Teach away!"

OoOoOoO

Penelope found the rest of the family in the lounge. Alan was laying against Jeff who was in the middle of reading through some very thorough mission reports that had involved the young astronaut. Alan's face had taken on a light shade of red at the attention and praise that rang through his father's voice and she felt her own sense of pride grow.

Even after the loss of their father, the boys had continued on, surpassing expectations to make Jeff's work worth the pain - or at least provide some semblance of joy to their grief. Alan had blossomed into an extraordinarily competent pilot, excelling in more than any one person could be asked. He had been so young when the accident changed their lives, but it had given him focus. It had taken her a while to see it, but when she had, a few choice words to Scott had ensured the boy got far more attention than the three elders were providing. Maybe they had wanted their little brother to live a more normal life, out of the path of danger, but normal wasn't in the Tracy genes. They came to realize that fact very quickly.

"How'd he take it?" Scott asked from his father's desk he and John had been using to listen to calls.

"He's entirely too excited for his own good," Penelope smiled, grateful to this family for being so willing to take in her friend. "Virgil has already started with the simulations."

"That's great, Penny," Jeff's voice sent a pang of warmth through her heart, the approval she hadn't seen in years bringing back memories from when she was still a teen working with her own father. "It still doesn't seem sufficient enough to repay him for everything he's done and is willing to do."

She nodded, fully understanding his sentiments, but Gordon wasn't like anyone she had ever met. "I think he's had to deal with some very trying times in his life. This is one of the few times it will be his choice to make a difference. That alone is sufficient."

"And what about you?" John asked.

Penelope gave him a quizzical look, "what do you mean?"

"We owe you too, Lady Penelope," Scott clarified with a toothy grin. "Anything we can do for you, just name it."

As a well known socialite, she had been offered many precious things in her life - usually in hopes of gaining her approval or support for some endeavor - but none of those touch her heart like that of the family around her. Penelope would do anything for them and knew they would do the same regardless of what Gordon had done.

"Thank you, but what you're doing for Gordon is enough. He's needed a chance to just be himself and not what other people want him to be." They understood and each had a pleased smile.

The rest of the day was quiet as they went about their own tasks. Penelope had delegated herself to contacting a few of her informants and members of World Heritage that needed a bit more attention. They'd seen Virgil once in the time between leaving Gordon in his care and tea after supper. The engineer had grabbed the makings for a sandwich, assembled it and disappeared without much input into how things were going other than a grunt.

Alan had been ushered off the bed with Jeff, Scott only agreeing to go since they were a man down and he would need as much rest as deemed necessary to legally fly. John was on late night monitoring, as he preferred it.

Offering the astronaut a tired smile, Penelope headed for the lift and down to check on the Genie and Virgil. She found them in the middle of what looked like a very frustrating lesson. Virgil was pinching the bridge of his nose while Gordon stared at - from what she could make out- a jumble of Thunderbird 4's inner workings.

"Alright, let's try this again," the engineer hadn't noticed her presence yet, looking back up to the schematics. "In case of hull perforation, there are three pumps that will activate to protect the engine and life support systems. This is the primary pump -"

"- and this is the secondary and tertiary - right," Gordon interrupted, "by why does she need three when only one of them is going to be used?"

"Redundancies, Gordon," Virgil visibly restrained his frustration before continuing. "If one fails, then it's up to the next to take over."

"And I get that too, but they take up so much room. The third one just makes her heavier and bulkier." Though they seemed to be arguing, the effects were one sided as she caught the twitch of the genie's lip. Gordon was trying not to smile. "Just get rid of one and add some cool scanning tech or something."

Penelope sighed, stepping forward to relieve Virgil of the obvious torment. "Gentlemen, perhaps a break is in order?"

Dark brown eyes darted in her direction and it was clear Virgil hadn't been paying attention to anything else around him. "Lady Penelope - I was hoping to get another hour or so in."

"What about these? Why do we need four?" Gordon teased, pointing to a set of boxes lining the walls of the sub.

Virgil actually growled, "On second thought, we can continue in the morning." He rubbed at his face, the stress melting away. Virgil regarded her, missing the knowing smile that split the genie's face. "Have a good night."

"Night, Virg!" Penelope shot Gordon a sharp look and the man had the common sense to look abashed. Once the engineer disappeared into the lift, Gordon let out a sigh. "Finally! That man just wouldn't take a hint to get some sleep. Sorry, I'll make it up to him tomorrow."

"Thank you," she meant it for how he had cared enough to try to get Virgil to leave, along with the intention to apologize in whatever way he found suitable. "I'll be heading to bed as well. Is there anything you need?"

He shrugged as he pulled a more detailed version of the pumps. "I'm good. I'll just be reviewing more of Thunderbird 4's systems before Virgil gets up."

"Ah, yes, that might take a while so feel free to review to your heart's content." Penelope smiled with the intensity and passion that floated between the genie and ship. "I'll leave you two alone. Goodnight, Gordon."

"Goodnight - oh wait!" He jumped up, surprising her with how quickly he closed the distance between them and arms wrapped around her back. He pulled her into a warm hug that made her laugh as he lifted her from the ground. The genie held her there for what felt like a minute before he spoke. "Thanks, Lady P - for bringing me here. This has been unbelievable!"

She returned the embrace, reveling in the sensation that traveled through her. She hadn't thought to ask him about it before, but now, she couldn't help asking as he released her. "Gordon, what is that - that tingling you give off when you touch people?"

He cocked a brow at the question, his lips pursing as he thought. "I'm not really sure what you mean."

Penelope thought for a moment, running her fingers over her bare arms where his hand touched. "It's like, electricity almost."

That sparked something and his smile widened. "Ah! Wow, okay. I've only ever heard stories of this, but it kinda makes sense. On rare occasions, a master or mistress will be sensitive to their genie's elemental core. It shouldn't - well, it can't hurt you, but it probably feels like standing too close to a bug zapper."

"Oh, that sounds rather unpleasant," she frowned, trying to figure out if that was what she had experienced. "I don't believe I would call it a bug zapper. More like a chill from an open freezer."

"Ah, good, then! I wouldn't want to cause you any discomfort." A sheepish smile and he ran a hand through his hair. "Just let me know if it changes?

"I will," her hands knit together in front of her with the added information. "Have a good evening, Gordon."

"Goodnight, Lady Penelope. "

She left him to his training, the genie wearing contentment like a blanket as he scrolled through the readouts. It gave her hope to in knowing he had a purpose far beyond serving her and that he reveled in it. With any luck, International rescue would have a permanent member to carry on the family's legacy.

With one last glance through the closing lift doors, Penelope caught his eye and returned his smile. Yes, tonight was a good night.


	11. Chapter 11

The ground under Jeff's feet still felt foreign to him even though it had only been a few years since he'd last stepped on it. It was disorienting - and he loved it.

For years, Jeff had known the interior of the Zero-x with its metal floors and walls. Even the hydroponics garden hadn't contained enough dirt to spare running his toes through. Outside hadn't been much better. What few space rocks he had come across hadn't offered much to look at, much less feel.

So as he and Scott hit the beach on their slow jog around the island - a ritual to help build back underused muscles - Jeff had to stop. He was approaching the slow crawl of a wave up the shore, his running shoes coming off with some resistance. It was worth it though, that struggle, to feel the dry sand merge with the wet. Eventually, another wave hit his shins with its cooling wash that eased his tired feet.

"It's beautiful out here," Scott put words to how Jeff felt as he breathed in the ocean.

"It really is," was all he could voice as his throat grew tight and he was forced to suck in a breath to stave off tears. Their family had seen enough of those.

"You wanna sit for a little while?" His eldest asked gently, obviously aware of how his father was being affected by their home. "I'm pretty sure Grandma isn't expecting us back for lunch for another hour."

A warm chuckle bubbled up from his chest and he moved back to have a seat out of the waves reach. Scott joined him, gazing out over the ocean. Jeff caught the content smile on the young man's face and felt pride begin to swell where awe had been for the simple sands of the beach. His son - all of his sons - had become amazing individuals. In the face of loss they had persevered. Scott had picked up the mantle to lead them, but Jeff knew he hadn't done it alone.

So yes, he was proud of each and every one of them. He just wasn't sure if he would ever get used to seeing them so much older.

"You know I love you boys," it came out a whisper. "So much."

Scott's lips thinned and he nodded just as slight, "We know. Love you too, Dad."

Jeff's smile was involuntarily these days and only grew when faced with this new reality. "I don't think I'll ever be more proud than I am of you boys."

That seemed to strike a chord with the pilot as the elder caught a grimace over his son's face. "Dad -" arms looped around knees that had been pulled up to his chest. He was suddenly reminded of an eleven year old boy who had been suspended for getting involved in a fight at school. Jeff had learned quickly that it had been to defend another student who had been attacked. "I just - I'm - sorry."

"Whatever for, Scott?" He didn't hide the surprise, not sure why the man was apologizing.

"We - I gave up. We stopped looking after we believed you were gone." Blue eyes that should have still contained the spark of youth seemed far older than they should have. "If it hadn't been for Alan's wish, I don't know if we would've ever found you."

"Scott," Jeff draped an arm over his son's shoulders and pulled him into his side. And just like that, the commander was his little boy, tears brightening his eyes as failure reared its ugly head. "My boy, I never blamed you all for that and I never will. What happened was beyond our control and you had no reason to believe I had survived. The fact that you continued my work means more than you know."

Silence other than the sound of the waves crashing were his answer, but the tension in Scott's back had lessened. It was still heartbreaking that his son must have been tormented by these thoughts since the moment Jeff came home. He wondered if the other's might feel the same. A mental note was made to speak with each individually to rectify that potential misbelief.

"What do you think your grandmother plans on making?" Jeff decided the mood needed lightening.

There was an audible sniffle before the brunette's head lifted to reveal the slight smile. "I find it's best not to think about it. With any luck, she'll ask for help."

A brow rose, "I don't think I've ever seen her ask for help, and I've known my mom for quite a long time."

The smile grew, "Max - I guess it's not cheating if you're still using a robot to cook."

"Well, I'm going to hope for the best," which was anything his mother wanted to concoct. It would be immensely better than what he had to fabricate from the dry food stores on the ship.

Scott let out a sigh and Jeff was pleased to see the look of contentment pushing away the storm of self doubt. "Remind me to have Virgil make pancakes."

"That good?"

"Pretty darn," the brunette laughed. "Learned from the owner of a restaurant in New York he rescued from an apartment fire."

"Oh?" He hadn't made it to that mission log yet. There were still so many. It wouldn't hurt to get an overview of interesting ones.

"Yeah, the guy invited the tenants to breakfast once the fires were out. Virgil was more than happy to help out. Plus, pancakes that didn't resemble bagels. Hard to pass that up."

"Ah, good man," it was encouraging to hear of the generosity of others in the wake of tragedy. It helped give International rescue motivation to continue. "Now, if you can drag him away from his student for long enough to make said pancakes, I would be greatly indebted."

Both men chuckled at Virgil's current situation in the hangar with Gordon. The engineer was enjoying his new role and the genie was insatiable. The man never needed to rest and was excelling beyond their expectations. In such, the two had created a bond that the others had yet to experience. Although, given the chance, Jeff suspected Alan and Gordon would get along. The youngest of his boys - regardless of his skill - was still young and full of barely tempered energy. Jeff hoped to see it loosed and his boy thrive.

"Ready to head back?" Scott asked a while later as the waves finally made it to their feet once more.

He nodded, collecting his shoes and taking his son's hand to stand. The mountain that lay behind them seemed to glow in the late morning sun and it offered warmth. Jeff would never take the beauty of his home for granted again. It was amazing and filled with love that burst from every corner.

In mimic of his earlier treatment, Scott's arm looped over his shoulders and pulled him forward. It was the encouragement he needed to take the steps back up the path and the hopes of a lunch with the people he loved and never wanted to be away from again.

OoOoOoO

"How's that? Better?" Gordon asked as he sat across from John, who had gone from a pale greenish hue back to his typical pale peach. The astronaut simply closed his eyes and let out a steady breath before physically relaxing into his room's armchair.

"Yes, much," he finally answered with the biggest smile the genie had seen on him since bringing their father home. "But I'd be more than happy to never do that again."

'That' had been a wish to help speed up Gordon's training for Thunderbird 4. The blonde had borrowed John's ability to learn and comprehend quickly, making the last two days fly by with the genie able to competently pilot the sub. The astronaut had stayed in his room for much of that time dealing with the confusing loss of the part of himself that broke down rescues to their basic needs. Scott had taken up that mantel and done well enough. They were all just been happy to get John back.

"No worries there, Spaceman," Gordon clapped him on the shoulder before they stood.

Penelope had been watching from the door and took John's arm as they left for the lounge. The rest of the family was waiting to surprise the astronaut with a much needed party and a promise that he could take the communication helm for a while.

Gordon was again the observer as they ate and played complex games that only John seemed to win. Alan was technically still limited in what he could do, but had offered up useful information to help Virgil win at least once. It was an ideal picture of what family was and something Gordon rarely got to be a part of.

He adored it.

Of his times on Earth, outside the lamp, this one rang such a high note. This wasn't life helping make someone wealthy or wealthier. This wasn't working to build a home for one person. This was a life that was dedicated to saving others. No wishing necessary. Just hard work and a passion to make things right for those who might lose the one thing that mattered.

So, it was with a thrill that nearly brought tears to his eyes, Gordon nearly leapt from his seat as an alarm range through the complex game at the center of the room.

An emergency.

He was buzzing with excitement as John took charge, speaking to the individuals who were warning of a system failure in an oceanic lab. Virgil and Brains were discussing the possibility of repairing the issue or simply extracting the scientists. Gordon was so caught up in the fluidity of their work, he mentally stumbled as they turned to him.

"You think you could get in and fix it?" Virgil asked, brow lifted as he tried not to ask the actual question.

"Uh - wouldn't hurt to try," Gordon answered with a shrug.

A curt nod and Scott broke in with an awe inspiring authority, "Alright, Virgil and Gordon, you're up. Keep in contact since this is Gordon's first run."

"FAB," Virgil was already on the move to his launch platform.

Gordon offered a thumbs up and ran for the elevator - his elevator - wished together by the engineer to provide quick access to the sub. The suit pressed around him, along with the belt, designed for underwater rescues. It was the drum roll before the dramatic meeting of the genie and Thunderbird.

Though it had only been a few days since beginning his training, he had excelled once gaining help from John and been able to take Thunderbird 4 out. She had responded to him immediately, shifting through the ocean like they had been together forever.

And here they were again, about to go on their first mission. There wasn't much for him to do but sit at the helm as she transferred into Moduole 4 and Thunderbird 2, but the chime of his comm brought his attention to his mistress.

"Enjoying yourself already?" Penelope asked with a knowing grin.

He laughed, "Is it politically correct to be excited when people are in trouble?"

Her smile turned soft in understanding few knew, "I believe we've all felt some form of that, but I would blame it on the adrenaline. You're about to potentially save lives. It's an amazing feeling."

Gordon felt his smile widen. That was certainly a majority of his exhilaration. The other part was finally feeling like one of the family. He was needed beyond his magic.

"It really is."

"I'll be with you on comms if you need me, alright?" She offered and the yip of Sherbert as he popped up into her lap and into the hologram seemed to relieve any anxiety between the two.

"FAB," it felt good to use the affirmation and it drew a pleased smile over her face. "I'll let you know if I run into any trouble and need your help."

Once the mechanics were through loading the sub, he left her and rode the lift into Thunderbird 2's cockpit and waved to Virgil, taking the copilot's chair.

"Welcome aboard," the engineer greeted as he worked through his 'bird's launch sequence. "Gotta say I'm excited to see you in action. How are you feeling?"

"Weird!" He blurted with a laugh. "I can't remember the last time I felt like this." Which was true in so many ways. Had he ever felt this way? So excited to go into the world, his mistress in his ear if he needed something. It was liberating and for the first time, he wondered if this was what freedom felt like. Free to make his own choices. It sent his core thrumbing with energy that surpassed that of the green 'bird taking flight.

They weren't too far out from the facility and Virgil had already sent him down to Four for launch. The pod hit the water a minute later and the door opened to the sea beyond.

"You ready?" Penelope hovered over the console and he suspected the others were within listening distance.

"As I'll ever be," Gordon's hands gripped the controls a bit tighter.

"You're clear for launch," Virgil chimed in from above, the pride evident in his voice.

For a second, everything stilled. There was no pressure, no rules, no demand of something he didn't want to do. There was only him, Thunderbird 4, and the ocean - his element - and it tore through him like sheer power calling him forward.

And with an ever widening smile, amber glowing with joy, he gave a reply to the universe.

"Thunderbird 4 is go!"


	12. Chapter 12

The facility was not the sophisticated structure he had expected, but Gordon figured it didn't have to look high tech to be useful. They were studying the ocean, not creating a luxury hotel.

"Alright, I'm at the research station," his voice broke through the silence around him. "I'm gonna try docking and head inside."

"FAB, Thunderbird 4," Virgil replied from his position above.

Gordon found the hatch easily enough, along with a window that showed a small group of scientists eagerly awaiting his arrival. He gave them a cheery wave before activating the docking tube and heading inside.

He had watched a few of the rescues completed by the brothers since coming to the island and so much of this one seemed to fit the mold. Meet the scientists, reassure the scientists, get them into a safer section of the facility and go fix the problem. Except the problem was one of the main generators and it had a noticeable crack developing through one of the slow moving turbines. Because of this, the facility was running on an insufficient backup that would cause the structure to shiver with the fluctuating power.

"I'm in the generator room," Gordon spoke into the icon on his belt. "Can you guys see this?"

"FAB," Virgil answered first.

"I've got Brains following along here," Penelope added and the scientist appeared next to her, obviously distracted by whatever was coming through the feed.

"Anything hands-on I can do?" Most of the structure was foreign to him, but he understood something needed to be replaced if they wanted to at least leave the base functional.

"Not unless you've got a new rotor handy. They'll need to haul out that generator and put in a new one if they can. That'll take months at the least," the comment from Virgil didn't bode well, but the scientists would be safe.

"There m-might be a chance, though," Brains cut in. "Gordon, in order to repair that turbine, you would n-need to transfer the damage to another generator, if Lady Penelope were to w-wish it, correct?"

"On the nose, got a spare I can mess up?" He grinned, already knowing the answer.

"Not a spare, per-say, but a decommissioned o-one." The bespectacled man's smile met his own.

"Alright, then let's do this! M'lady?" Amber turned to meet her hologram.

"I wish for that generator to be fixed and the damage to go to the decommissioned one," simple as that, he gave her a wink and snapped his fingers. A creak of metal bending back into place and the crack sealed back together. Seconds later, the machine cranked, rotor spinning with the current and the facility seemed to sing out their praise.

"Good job, Gordo," Virgil's own praise shot through the comm, followed by a chuckle. "Now, how are we going to explain this to the researchers?"

"Oh, I've got this," Gordon waved him off. "Years of experience here. I can spin this, easy. People don't always want the specifics when they're happy."

"Then I guess we'll trust you to handle it," the engineer's words sparked more in the genie's core than expected. "Just let me know when you're ready for pickup."

"FAB!" And he was alone again, off to ease the fears of the facility's inhabitants. They had initially been shocked to hear that everything had been fixed and they were cleared to go back to their jobs. On further questioning, Gordon had given the smoothest smile he could muster.

"We're International rescue. Some of our tech is so advanced, it's more like magic. But really, I was just able to reposition the rotor and seal the crack. Nothing spectacular."

Most of the group had taken the explanation and thanked him with tears in their eyes. It made sense since some of the work done in the facility had taken a lifetime to collect. One man, though, was watching him with interest. He didn't offer questions or argue that what Gordon had told them was impossible. There was always one, the genie surmised and promptly avoided any further contact.

Not long after receiving a multitude of hugs, he was back in Thunderbird 4 and headed for the surface when the next emergency presented itself.

"Thunderbird 4, We're detecting a foreign object on your hull!" John this time, sounding alarmed.

The warning was too late, however, as an explosion tour through the sub's underbelly, sending shrapnel and sparks through the genie before water rushed in. Gordon's shock was more aimed at the damage done to Thunderbird 4 - his 'bird - and he growled, ready to release his anger through the ocean around him, but was stopped by his limitations. Instead, a dull thump of something attaching to the roof drew his attention back to their situation.

Within seconds, the sub came free of the sea and sunlight took the place of the water as it rushed out. Penelope filled his vision next.

"Gordon! What happened? Are you alright?" Her panic, though touching, was unnecessary.

"I'm okay," he spat, pulling a shard of metal from where it had embedded into his thigh and tossed it aside. "Thunderbird 4's been hit pretty hard."

"Just hold tight," Virgil tried to speak calmly, but it was evident he'd been shaken by the incident. What if it hadn't been Gordon who had responded? "I'm going to collect the module and pull you the rest of the way up."

Thunderbird 4 was left to float on top of the swaying waves as the raven-haired man worked to retrieve the pod. Gordon stayed put, trembling with a rage that remained trapped within his flesh. He didn't even notice the sub lifting until the light faded and he was in the artificial glow of Thunderbird 2's halogens.

And then, the seat was shifting awkwardly against the damage, one of the shards ripping free from his gut. Virgil appeared, looking distraught as he tried to assess the genie's physical health.

"You okay?" The engineer asked, moving aside as Gordon pulled himself free. Dark brown eyes grew wide as he took in what would have killed a human. "Holy sh-"

"Virgil, I'm fine," there was anger dripping from his words. "Just - do we know who did this?" Another chunk of the sub fell as Gordon pulled a sheet of yellow metal from his side.

"J-John?" Virgil halted the genie's progress by pulling something - a bar - from his head with shaking hands.

Gordon took a breath, quickly realizing how his friend must be feeling with the sight of multiple impalements. His hand found the engineer's and gave it a gentle squeeze, catching the worried brown eyes. "I'm okay, really."

John cut through any reply the man could've had, "I've contacted the GDF. It doesn't appear that anyone has left the facility and EOS is monitoring outside communications. I'm sure the colonel will want to question everyone."

That didn't sound as good as he had hoped. There were going to be some holes in this story - how had he survived the blast, for one. Virgil was already coming to the same conclusion with a quick glance to the marred innards of Thunderbird 4 and back to the shrapnel protruding from the genie.

"What do we say?" Virgil asked, as they turned to John, both still dealing with senses too heightened by anger and adrenaline.

Green eyes regarded him as he pulled another shard from his forearm. "The diagnostics from Thunderbird 4 can easily be deemed irreparable. They won't have a way to review the explosion."

"You can, though?" Virgil asked, voicing Gordon's desire to know why someone had tried to kill a member of International rescue.

The astronaut nodded, hands flying over unseen panels. "Gordon, you were in the rear of Thunderbird 4 storing gear while she was on autopilot for pickup. You'll still need to show some form of injury, but at least they won't think you survived something that would've killed - anyone else."

"Concussion act, got it," Gordon gave a thumbs up, ignoring the implication. "Just focus on getting whoever did this."

"FAB," and there was a dark promise to not only Gordon, but the family who was very aware of what couldn't have happened.

Penelope took the red-head's place, still looking concerned and he tried his best to flash her a reassuring smile as Virgil went to work getting the infirmary situated. "Hey, sorry about the suit." It felt lame, but it was all he could say in the face of her worry.

"The suit can be fixed, Gordon," but the comment had encouraged a hint of a smile. "How are you feeling?"

His lips thinned to hold back the outburst that wanted to be free, but he needed to stay calm. A breath seeped past his lips before he found the words.

"Angry, mostly." And as if the emotions couldn't stay pent up anymore, "It was my first run! Who does something like this? It could've been Virgil down there! Or Alan!"

Her hand came up to stave off the assault as it quickly grew louder, "I know, but it's very fortunate it wasn't."

"Who would've done this, Pen?" There was so much about his mistress that was still unknown, whether by habit or lack of trust, Gordon hadn't been in the need-to-know.

She sighed, resigned to the fact that she needed to tell him. "If it were simply an attack on me, the list would be endless, but - there are only a handful of people who would attack International rescue."

Scott appeared next to her, his face grim as he caught what they were discussing. "Gordon, right now there's no proof, but our family has been dealing with a man called the Hood. He's held a grudge against us and our father for years. I just - he's never tried anything like this before."

"Is there anything I can do?" Because he really wanted to do something if this man was involved.

"Just stay there. John's working on finding more info." The commander ordered, but Gordon could almost see the cogs moving.

"Alright," he wanted to argue, but this was all new to him. He would follow their rules.

Penelope offered a sympathetic smile, "Who'll figure this out, promise."

A nod and the commlink cut off.

And there was Virgil, his duties in the infirmary complete, but the paleness in his face showed some of the effect the incident was still having. Of all the brothers, Gordon had spent the most time with Virgil, learning not only about Thunderbird 4, but about the family. They were close - closer than any family he'd been acquainted with and they cared about their friends just as much. It was clear that the engineer needed some reassurance. And a distraction wouldn't hurt.

"Where ya need me," Gordon's arms lifted as though he were ready to be picked up and placed.

It had the desired effect as Virgil's shoulders squared with the need for action. They had a job to do and time was quickly running out as John reported the GDF ships would be arriving in the minute. He led the genie to a bed set into the wall, a pillow and blanket ready for his own comfort.

"What, no mint?" Gordon teased lightly, earning a weary smile from the engineer.

"I could warm up some towels," came with a pat to his back before that same hand took his shoulder and pushed him to the bed. "Just lay here and look like you've got the worst headache in the world."

"What's a headache?" The grin was not to be deterred through the ribbing.

"Where did I put that mirror?" Virgil didn't miss a beat, the stress in his shoulders visibly reducing with their banter. It was easy for the two of them and the engineer seemed to recognize its benefits early on during their training sessions. It only took on a sharper edge when the man was exhausted. Right now, he was just dealing with a whole boatload of fear.

"Har har, careful, Virg. I might volunteer you for some standup comedy." He grinned as he settled his head onto the pillow.

"Pretty sure we'd have to be a duo. Who else am I supposed to make fun of?" The blanket was draped over him before the lights were dimmed to help his "concussion".

"A genie and an engineer walk into a bar," a laugh from said engineer.

"Oh, please no," Virgil shook his head. "Whatever it is, it'll be lame."

That didn't stop him, "the host says 'table for two' and the engineer says 'you better make it three, just to be safe'."

Dark brown eyes just glared at him.

"Two antennas got married - the wedding was lousy, but the reception was outstanding." Gordon's smile grew as he caught the twitch of Virgil's lips and quickly pointed as though the man had been caught. A large hand simply gripped his hand and shoved it back under the cover, but there was no hiding the amusement.

"Do me a favor and limit your verbal comments to grunts and groans." It was enough of a sign of appreciation as they could handle right now and Virgil left with less apprehension.

A couple hours later and they were on their way back to the island. The culprit had been identified, but only through his bogus credentials. The GDF had facial recognition, as did John, and they discovered he had been a freelance mercenary. He'd managed to find some way to escape their sensors and leave potentially well before Thunderbird 4 had been hit. Gordon had one very simple way of bringing the man down, but it involved too many risks at the moment. Given a few days, they would have a more solid plan than just poofing him into the Tracys living room for a good, old fashioned beatdown. Not that anyone would have allowed that. It just seemed to make the genie feel better.

Now, he, Virgil and Brains were staring up at the damage done to the submersible.

"She'll need her entire underside r-replace," Brains lamented. "It will take a few days just to get the p-parts fabricated."

"Would you be able to get them for us faster?" Virgil queried to the blonde.

"Hm, technically you have all the materials to make the parts?" He looked between them both, receiving nods in answer. "Then yes, I can."

The men's eyes lit up with the implication and were already reaching for the comm when John's hologram beat them to it.

"Guys," his tone was clipped. "We have another situation."


	13. Chapter 13

Not even twelve hours and Virgil was preparing to take Thunderbird 2 out again, this time with Gordon and John as his companions. The last rescue had left him shaken, but not so much that he couldn't play transport for the computer genius. Gordon had come with the hope of helping the already rattled iR members.

"The entrance is blocked by the cave in," John had the hologram blueprints of the underground factory floating between them, pointing out the main entry point and the damage that had been done. System failures had led to lockdowns and then collapse, trapping the staff inside. "The emergency exit should be accessible for us and then I can restart their systems. Life support is down, so we have a short window to get everyone out."

"FAB, coming up on the location in sixty seconds," Virgil affirmed, already going through the landing procedures in his head.

They hit the ground running once they were down, John already working to access the exit. Gordon had questioned why Virgil didn't tear the door off with the exo-suit, which would have been much faster, but danger of further collapse from the vibration wasn't worth the risk. It didn't take John long, though. The latch gave and the door slid open to reveal faces of men and woman who had been lucky to make it to this section. The brothers and Gordon helped get them situated out of harm's way before working their way into the bowels of the factory.

"Get the lights set up so I can start moving the debris," Virgil instructed as he surveyed the collapsed section keeping them from the other workers and the downed computer systems. It was a mess of shredded metal and dirt, most of which was going to take some careful shifting to prevent more of the debris from raining down on them.

Gordon was quick to comply, Penelope having wished for the genie to do as the engineer asked. A snap and the space lit up with the spotlights and he could get started.

The problem was the dirt. Just shifting the metal shell that had once been the hallway would result in more of the earth coming down. This would take hours without the mole pod. They couldn't rely on it with how fragile this place had become.

Thankfully, they might not need hours. Virgil smiled to himself, wanting to appreciate their new friend, but wondering how many of their own skills might deteriorate over time.

"Alright Gordon, how about some heavy lifting? Think you can shift the dirt back into place so I can position the struts?" Asking felt better than just telling him to do it.

"You just say the word, Virg," amber flashed under the helmet, sparking an excitement in the engineer despite their earlier disaster together.

"FAB, John, can you run scans for placement?" An FAB from his brother and he pulled one of the devices from its attachment to his exo-suit. "Gordo, move the dirt."

Effortlessly, the wall before them separated as the earth shifted up into the ceiling. When it all stopped, John didn't hesitate to send a holographic beam over the space, four markers appearing in its wake. After the first strut was placed, Virgil had the rest up in less than a minute.

"Man," the engineer couldn't help admiring the work. "Don't know if I'll ever get used to you working with us."

Gordon beamed in response and there was that same glee Virgil had felt the first year on rotation. Making a difference did something to you, deep down. It made every day precious.

The time it took to clear the corridor had been detrimental in getting to the smaller sections where the air supply had dwindled with how many workers sat huddled in the location. They would have been collecting bodies if they'd spent the hours necessary to clear the passageway without the genie's help. As it was, the people were able to head to the surface on their own in order for iR to keep going.

The next few sections were much the same, just fewer people. When they arrived at the command center, it was sealed shut, a slight inconvenience to John as he reworked the programming that kept them out. Although Virgil was well versed in the intricate workings of machinery and engines, he still found himself awestruck how fluid his younger brothers work was as he navigated through the coding. So many letters and numbers, symbols that meant nothing to the engineer, yet like a first language to John.

The door slid open and they were greeted by a dark room with red beams flashing the obvious emergency in sporadic bursts with the dwindling power.

"I'll work on getting the systems repaired while you two get to the next group," John took to the main console, already receiving a flicker of life once he'd connected his own suit's system. It was a hopeful sign and gave Virgil and Gordon the motivation to get the job back on track.

"You're a natural at this, y'know?" The raven-haired man let the praise slip free after they had left John to do his work.

"Thanks, I think," Gordon laughed nervously. "I can see why you all do what you do. Most of my masters have been pretty selfish. Now, it's like I can feel the whole of the ocean's energy - if that makes sense."

He wasn't sure it did, but there were a lot of things about the genie that Virgil didn't understand. He knew the rush of a job well done, though. Virgil had lived so many of those moments and could recall the energy that filled him and left him buzzing all the way home. It was wonderful and dangerous at the same time. The crash if a job went wrong - almost debilitating. He hoped his new friend wouldn't have to deal with that ever and with his powers, that potential trauma would be less likely.

"Yeah - I get it," Virgil smiled, pulling back some of the downed light fixtures. "Can be a bit addicting at times."

"Oh?" Gordon sounded genuinely concerned.

"That feeling is great when you have it, but you can come down pretty hard when you run into a victim you can't save," a sad smile accompanied that truth as faces from his past tried to intrude in their current situation.

The genie didn't comment on that, but with how many years he had been on the planet, it wasn't unthinkable that Gordon had experienced great loss. Maybe he was going through his own list of lives lost and no chance of saving them. Maybe there was something worse. Whatever it might be, they were running head long into a situation that could have easily been a disaster without the genie. Lives had already been saved.

They hit a flight of stairs - or what should have been - stopping to peer over the edge and to the floor below. Life signs were showing through his holographic map and it was only a second before he called out.

"This is International rescue! We're here to rescue you!" They were rewarded with the sound of footsteps scuffling over the debris below.

"Hello?" A woman in her mid forties appeared, looking weary until a smile of hope lit up her face. "Oh, thank you! There's fourteen of us stuck down here. Can you get us out?"

"We'll do our best, ma'am," Virgil offered a steadiness that said they would do more than just their best. "Stand back and one of us will come down to get everyone situated." As she did what was asked, he turned to Gordon, already calculating how they would transport so many people in a short period of time. "Want to guide them from the top and I'll haul from the bottom?"

"I can handle that, bossman," Gordon grinned as he pulled out the harness and cables from his pack.

Virgil grimaced at the nickname, knowing it fit far better on Scott. He took the cables and rigged a pulley system they would need. Next, he made sure Gordon was attached to the guide cord and showed him how to use it. So much of what the genie could do was being learned on the job, but he soaked it up better than anyone he had met. Even before they had sequestered John's big brain to help, Gordon had obtained details on underwater submersible use that would have taken months. He had explained away with the ability to never tire. Whatever he learned went in and he was ready for the next piece.

"Ready?" Virgil regarded the blonde as he stood over the pit.

"Ready."

And he was going down at a quick pace that ended with a slight bounce as his boots hit debris. The harness was off a second later and he turned to find his charges.

"Hi, I'm Virgil," he greeted the group huddled in the hallway. "Is anyone injured?" To his relief, they shook their heads. They were frightened, but able to travel on their own. "Alright, I'm going to send each of you up one at a time. My colleague will be up top to help you if need be and then we'll get out of here."

"Sounds great," the woman from earlier praised, helping one if the older staff members to their feet and over to the engineer. They were harnessed and up within minutes. The rest of the group went up just the same until it was just Virgil standing at the bottom, reading the holographic map for any other signs of life. Nothing. This was the last group of survivors that he could see.

He was about to call up to Gordon when a whine through the facility drowned him out. A burst of air hit him, warm and stale, but obviously enriched with oxygen. And then, the lights flickered before remaining on.

"Looks like John's been having fun," Gordon grinned down at him.

That was a relief, at least and Virgil felt the surge to get moving take hold as he used the cables to pull himself up. He took the genie's hand up to the landing and was happy to find the survivors waiting calmly for the pair. There was something to be appreciated about people keeping it together in a stressful situation. Virgil had memories of panic that had led to the team almost losing Scott as he went to pull the frozen victims from a collapsing building.

The trek back to the control room was a short one and the group was instructed to head for the emergency exit to meet up with the rest of their coworkers. John hadn't moved from his spot, still sifting through the coding that kept the facility functional.

"Is everyone accounted for?" Virgil asked as he came up beside his brother.

Without skipping a beat, the astronaut pulled up a schematic showing the rest of the structure, the collapsed areas, and any life signs still trapped within, which were thankfully almost to the surface.

"Alright, looks like we're done here," he made to move towards the exit but the expression on the astronaut's face said they weren't. "John?"

"I've found something," he was back to the screens he had been working on when they'd arrived. "There was a file in the main system. It looks like the shut down was intentional and if I had to guess, the structural collapse wasn't from natural causes."

The seriousness of that statement hit Virgil in the gut and now it was screaming at him to leave. He voiced just that, "Then we should get out before anything else comes down."

"Gimme one second," John was flitting between files, a dangerous expression pulling at his usual calm. He was tracking down the person or people responsible for this disaster. He was bringing justice for the dead that hadn't been able to make it clear of the debris. Virgil wouldn't stop him.

Gordon was standing at his side, watching the markers on the map as they made it to the final tunnel that led outside. He was still smiling like nothing could destroy his day and it sent the corner of Virgil's lip up. They still needed to get out, though, and John's second was quickly reaching the minute mark.

"Done," he stood, grabbing the equipment he had attached to the console. "We can -"

A blast hit, shaking the ground from beneath their feet and Virgil was grateful for the exo-suit as he slammed into the ground. The lights flickered, metal shrieked and a roar filled his head as the quake continued to rain debris around them. His mind screamed to call out, to tell Gordon to get them out, but something heavy slammed into his side, sending him skidding across the floor and into a console. Pain shot across his ribs as the blow finally registered and he realized he couldn't breathe. His lungs didn't want to work even as he rolled to his hands and knees.

And then, fingers dug into the uniform covering his shoulder and light streamed from a helmet. The bright yellow sent a thrill of relief through him, followed closely by panic. Where was John? The structure was still collapsing, sheets of metal sending a cacophony of noise around the already too loud room.

And he still couldn't breathe!

Gordon's hand moved to his chest, helping to steady the engineer as he felt his vision blurring with the spots of darkness. _Don't pass out!_ The demand echoed through his head.

"Virgil, breathe!" The genie shouted, and like a fist had been pulled away, he coughed, lungs burning as they finally took in the recycled oxygen.

"Gord-"

"I've got you, but this place is coming down!" The blonde shouted as he helped support the larger man.

"John?" The name choked out of him with desperation.

"I can't see him! You have to tell me what to do!" Panic didn't sit well on the genie's face, but that probably came from not being able to do anything. He might be about to watch them die for all he knew. It was up to Virgil.

"Gordon," he took in a shaky breath. "Get John and me back to Thunderbird 2's cockpit! You too!"

No silly quips. No jokes to ease his worry. Just a snap.

All sound left them and they were suddenly blinded by the afternoon sun as it shone through the window of the cargo ship. Virgil could breathe again, for just a second, until he turned to find his brother.

John was pale, eyes barely open as his hands scrambled weakly at his abdomen - and he was bleeding.

The exo-suit was suddenly too heavy, too cumbersome and he fumbled with the releases to extricate himself from it. The metal grating came at him fast, unable to catch himself as ribs protested with daggers through his chest. His eyes screwed shut with the ragged breath he drew in and forced himself up, towards John. When his eyes opened, Gordon was hovering over John, Penelope's hologram talking soothingly as he worked a pack of gauze open, followed by another. They were falling onto the wound, soaking up red until they were saturated.

_Too fast - he'll bleed out…_ Virgil scrambled the rest of the way, catching the blonde's hand as he went to apply another piece. "Can you stop this?"

Amber met him, wide and frantic as he nodded, but quickly shook his head. "It's complicated - if I save him, someone else will - someone else could die."

The last word hung in the air between them - cold and angry. Gordon could save his brother, but at a cost. Who would die in his place? Who would suddenly be laying in the puddle of red that was spreading too quickly over the steel floor?

Virgil's head spun with all the medical supplies he would need to just slow the blood loss, but there was no time. He could see it in the slivers of turquoise - the pain and slowing of his hands as he tried to keep his life from slipping away.

And then a question - "What about part of it?"

"What?" Gordon gave a confused grunt as he held blood-covered gloves over the wound, staring at the engineer like he hadn't heard him correctly.

"Heal enough of the damage so that he doesn't bleed out - transfer the rest to me. Can you do that?" Intensity filled every word and it was almost too much to wait for the answer.

When the genie nodded, it was Lady Penelope who protested. "Are you sure, Virgil? If the damage is too great - I fear we could lose you both."

"We have to try!" He pleaded, his eyes never leaving Gordon's. "Please."

The blonde seemed to crumble under the weight of Virgil's decision, his own fear creeping through. "I don't - there has to be another way? I could just get him to a hospital, right? They could fix him." But as they both regarded the red-head, saw the slow, shallow breaths, the fight was gone. They didn't have time for a hospital.

"I'm sorry, Gordon," Virgil placed a hand over the trembling ones that had worked to keep John alive. "I need you to give me part of his injury, so he won't bleed out."

There was a moment of resistance where Gordon's hands stayed in his, but there was no fighting the powers that controlled him. Virgil was ready for the snap.

He wasn't ready for the pain that seared through his gut as the flesh and muscle tore. His breath caught in his throat and he felt himself falling. Strong hands caught him and rolled him carefully into his back.

A grunt of pain burst through his teeth before he asked, "John - is he -"

"He's still with us," Penelope answered over Gordon's shoulder. "John has stabilized, but you both need medical attention immediately."

"What about the workers?" The genie asked as he placed a clean pack of gauze over the stain spreading over his suit.

"You'll need to stay with Thunderbird 2 - get her back to the island," Virgil instructed through ragged intakes. "Send John and me to - infirmary."

Gordon nodded his understanding, but frowned. "I don't know how to fly Thunderbird 2."

That wouldn't be a problem if Scott and Kayo hadn't left to work with the GDF. It wouldn't be a problem if Alan or Dad could fly her remotely, but a concussion and limited training with the new technology made it hazardous. It had to be Gordon. And there was only one way that would be fast enough.

"Take my ability - just, promise you'll give it back." It seemed easy enough. Virgil could live without the knowledge for a short time, but there was no bracing for it as the genie made the promise and in one second, his 'bird was foreign. It was as though a pit had opened in his chest and threatened to swallow him up with despair. He could see her console, but he didn't know her. He could remember her feel under his hand, but couldn't remember what gave her lift.

And then she was gone - or he was - Virgil settling gently on the infirmary bed. A turn of his head and he saw John, quiet and still. Brains, Grandma, and "Dad -"

"Hey, kiddo, we're here. Just hold tight and we'll have you right as rain." A warm hand took his own as the small group began to work. Virgil let himself drift in the loss of his girl, but clung to the hope that it had all been worth it to save his brother.


	14. Chapter 14

Failure was in the eye of the beholder. Technically, he had failed to take out one of the Tracys, but at least their ship had been damaged. And then, his associate's code had gone into effect to destroy a competitor who refused to yield to his demands.

All in all, the last twenty-four hours had been a win for the Hood. His plans never really needed to come to full fruition as long as part of them caused enough chaos. They were distractions, ways to show others just what was in store if they crossed him.

And with such a boost to his ego, he had decided to celebrate.

Antiquities - baubles of the past that could be worth millions to the right person - lined the study of his base. Most of the trinkets were from dark periods when human life was not considered of utmost importance. Power. That was what the leaders years ago had sought and obtained - for a short time. Now, he surrounded himself with their accomplishments. They were treasures that only the villainous would admire.

And admire them, he did. The Hood's fingers traced the frame of a document that held the chemical composition of deadly agents. He would often entertain the idea of recreating them to use against his enemies, but he had other ways - easier and far more torturous.

At the center of the study, a box sat like a gift, waiting for its new owner to open it. A gift from one of his allies that would soon be followed by a request. The answer to that would depend on what lay inside the box.

That could wait, however. There was an art to discovering the ancient and it started with - for him - a drink. Armagnac, 1967, to be precise. The rich, amber liquid pooled in the crystal glass and he held it under his nose for a long moment.

The next plan had yet to be implemented and wouldn't for another two weeks, which was what made today's show so much more rewarding. It had happened in such a way, International rescue shouldn't have been able to attend to the factory - grief and all that - but they had defied his desires and saved the trapped workers - and from what his informants had told him, only one of the men had made it out after the fail safe had been detonated. The bloody gloves had been a bonus as well.

The Hood took a long sip of the liquid, letting it wash over his tongue before cascading down his throat. Excellent - the brandy and the blow to the Tracys. He made a mental note to send his condolences. Red roses would do nicely.

Taking a seat, he set the glass down, trying to imagine the family's faces at his gesture, and carefully undid the latch that held the lid over his gift. It wasn't heavy like the oak he had expected, but again, the box wasn't the important part. Inside lay his treasures.

Black Silk. That was a good sign as his fingers ran over the lush fabric that shifted smoothly under his touch. This was the wrapping of elegance - a negligee to be slowly removed until he uncovered the curves and edges.

A bottle?

Granted, it wasn't the typical, the only bottle he considered worth keeping were filled and corked in the 1900s. This was of an Arab design, the glass a deep purple and embossed with intricate lines of black metalwork. Beautiful in craftsmanship, but potentially worthless.

The Hood lifted the bottle carefully from its bedding, searching under the base for any details to origin or date. Nothing. No card or paper of authenticity.

Just a bottle.

Dust had somehow settled into the grooves and over the dark glass and he swiped at it with a palm in annoyance. Whomever had decided this would earn them a place in his good graces, they were sorely mistaken.

Suddenly, the room began to rumble with quakes that sent the Hood clinging to the leather chair as the bottle fell back into the box. Then, the room erupted in suffocating smoke.

OoOoOoO

Clouds hung low, grey and thick. Fitting for how he felt, yet the moisture that teased his skin did little to lessen the numbness. Gordon watched the waves crash against the rocks below as they were encouraged by the early morning storm.

The night had been a long one of bringing Thunderbird 2 back to base after transporting the facility workers to their evacuation point. Everyone had been waiting around the infirmary for any moment they might be needed.

Gordon had been needed.

Once his gloves had been removed and he was standing at the end of the infirmary beds, there had been the wish for blood to help John. Then the questions started. What had happened? What had John found? Who was behind this?

There would be no answers until the astronaut woke up.

Virgil woke shortly after he'd been stitched up, dark brown eyes locking onto the genie with a desperate need. The engineer had lost his Thunderbird. Gordon had it all sitting in his head - every switch combination, every shudder that would run through the green ship and what it meant. He understood her in a way that only Virgil had and it was tearing the man up to be without that knowledge.

A quiet instruction to Penelope had remedied it and Virgil's grief melted away in an instant as he closed his eyes, a tear sliding free and into the dark, disheveled hair. That was Gordon's job - a balance of give and take that could destroy or build - tear out a person's purpose and put it right back in.

A rock fell from his fingers and was quickly swallowed by the churning waters. He debated jumping, let the ocean shut out the world around him that hurt until his mistress requested his presence. The pain wasn't so much an ache as it was an emptiness. Gordon had never been asked to hurt anyone he cared about. There had been masters who had wished the demise of others, but those had been easy enough to counteract. Wish for the death of someone - they get moved to some nice little cottage on a hill to die of old age some natural number of years later. Of course, he would alter their memories, but at least they would live. Gordon had created a whole new village once after he'd been asked to kill an entire fleet during a war. His master had been none the wiser.

But to be asked to inflict pain, because, if he didn't, someone else would die - it hurt in a way he'd never experienced before.

"Mind if I join you?" Penelope's voice was gentle and calculated as she came up behind him. She didn't want to startle him, but that was impossible. Gordon knew where she was at all times. Just another perk to being bound to someone for life.

The genie scooted over on the hillside, patting the ground and wondering if she would actually sit on the dirt. She did, her legs tucked against her chest as she looked out over the angry water.

"How are they?" He asked, sending another pebble into the waves.

"Stable, but strong. They'll be alright." She took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You saved both of them."

A scoff slipped from his lips, but he didn't voice his fears. Yes, both men were alive, but at what cost? No one knew the long term effects. They could still be lost if anything went wrong.

Patience was easily one of his mistress's strong suits as she offered a knowing smile. "I don't much care for what ifs, but in this case I feel it is appropriate. What would have happened if you hadn't been there to get them to Thunderbird 2?"

John would be dead and, most likely, Virgil right there with him. The facility had collapsed after that final explosion. "I know - it's just... I've never had to hurt anyone before. Not intentionally anyways."

"That was Virgil's choice."

He flashed her an exasperated look, "You know I have the ability to warp a wish any way I like. I could've just given Virgil a paper cut and-"

"John would still die-"

"No, Virgil would just have to try a different way, I don't know. He could've-"

"Put the wound on someone else? Possibly killed someone he'd never met?" The ludicrous nature of her words cut off anything else Gordon might have argued. "They're Tracys. That goes against everything they stand for."

He was quiet a moment longer as he tried to accept what she was saying. It finally culminated into one simple statement.

"I don't like hurting people."

Penelope's hand squeezed again, the smile still on her face. "Why do you think I brought you out here? I know you better than you think, Gordon. You want to make a difference in ways beyond wealth and power. Yes, the boys were hurt, but they're alive because of you, and because of what you did, they will continue to do their job. That is worth the sacrifice, don't you think?"

She was right. No matter how much he hated what he had done, good men were still on this earth. He would just have to keep them here.

"Thanks," Gordon whispered over the crash of the waves. If she heard him, she didn't voice it, content to turn her gaze to the ocean. "You're all a really special group of people. I hope you know that."

This time, she laughed, but it was light and carried a hint of surprise. "I think the boys forget that what they do isn't normal."

A grin tugged at his lips at that, unable to help himself from glancing at her. "What you do isn't quite everyday humdrum either, Lady P."

Penelope shrugged, which was odd to see when she tended to strive for prim and proper. "I guess we enjoy living on the edge. The benefits are quite fantastic."

"Can't argue against that logic. It would be -"

A jolt of energy sparked through his core, Gordon's hand jerking away from Penelope's as she let out a startled cry at the sensation. His eyes clenched shut and the force swirled within, overwhelming his senses with the universe's call.

"Gordon?" Penelope's voice was muffled, but he could hear the concern. "What's going on?"

One lid peeled open, then another and the genie could already feel the energy beginning to dissipate. He took in a steadying breath as his gaze reached out over the ocean. It had been centuries since he had last felt something like that and he questioned the need to be alarmed. Probably not - possibly yes.

"Gordon?!" She tried again, clearer, and he met her worried expression with uncertainty. "What is it?"

A pause as the last of the warning left and amber returned to the horizon. "Another genie has awoken."

OoOoOoO

The room cleared in an instant as pebbles and dust settled over the contents of the study. It was always Fuse's favorite part, right after the shocked expression on his new master's face. This one was surprisingly angry at first as he surveyed the damage, but the anger turned to suspicion.

"You best have a good reason for this mess before I have you removed - forcibly." The threat seemed real, but not at all worrisome. The genie could have fun with this one.

"Oy - you set me free, so this," Fuse gestured to the amusing disaster. "Is technically your fault, Master."

"I beg your pardon?" The bald man hissed, but there was an underlying intrigue. "Wait - I did what?"

"Congratulations," he grinned, arms crossed over his chest as he stood opposite his master. Curiosity sent brown eyes flicking over to a solid mahogany display case - and the amusement slammed head long into a brick wall as he took in the images and small icons that sat on the dust covered shelves. The faces from history that Fuse knew all too well - had helped create in some cases - stared at him. Mocking him. His mind screamed that this couldn't be real. No one that evil could still exist, but even as his eyes moved around the room, ignorant of the impatience etched over his new master's face, his heart shuddered. His lips thinned and Fuse fought to silence the words that strived to come out - that the universe demanded he say - and he knew this world was in trouble, even as his lips parted. "You've awoken a genie."

"A genie?" Fuse hoped the man would find it a ridiculous idea and have his bottle and himself sent away, not that it would work. History was doomed to repeat itself and there was little he could do. Curiosity always was the downfall of humans sometimes and there was intrigue in his master's voice, now. "As in, I get three wishes?"

"If that's all you want, sure." Fuse tried.

"Oh, I want more," the man grinned. "Infinite sounds far more reasonable, but how am I to know you are what you say?"

The genie frowned, inwardly hoping for something not too earth shattering. "Make a wish."

His master was quiet for a moment as he contemplated, yellow eyes never leaving him. His smile grew as he came to a decision. "I wish to rule the world."

_Damn_… Fuse deflated with the confirmation of his fears. Thankfully, he could delay the inevitable and he snapped his fingers.

The room lay in silence and the genie tried not to laugh. The smile on his face was impossible to hide as his master stared at the globe and tape ruler that sat on the table between them.

"What - is this?"

"A ruler so you can 'rule' the world. Best get to it, Master." And now he did laugh. "Look, you're not the first bloke to try that. It's not so easy - takin' over the world. I suggest ya keep it a bit simpler."

The low chuckle surprised him as slender fingers spun the globe. "I see. Then I'll just need to be a bit more specific. Do tell me, so I'm sure, is there a limit to the wishes?"

"Just that I can't make somethin' from nothin'," he hoped that wouldn't need further explaining.

"And as many wishes as I like?" Calculated and sinister as he began to slow the globe's spin.

"Until the day you die, Master," and for very obvious reasons, Fuse hoped that would be soon.

"Well, then," the globe stopped and the bald man's smile grew. "If I'm going to rule the world, I'll need a lot of money."


	15. Chapter 15

Waking through the heavy fog of medication brought with it so many things. Disorientation, nausea, images of a brother covered in blood - the last of which sent Virgil's eyelids dragging open regardless of how he actually felt.

"John," he wheezed past dry lips and the cotton in his throat. A hand caught his as he tried to push the covers off of his chest and immediately stilled as his father's voice cut through the panic.

"It's alright, son. John's here." Brown eyes found the weathered face, warm and strong as he squeezed the fingers against his palm. "You're both safe and at home."

Virgil swallowed painfully, "wha- 'appened?"

Before that mystery could be unraveled, a straw was pressed to his lips and the cool sensation of water eased the tightness in his throat. The cup left and the raven-haired man watched the sad smile as blue eyes regarded him again. "You're entirely too brave for your own good, but - you saved your brother's life. Remember?"

"Yeah -" besides the images of John's injuries, he could still see the gut wrenching expression on Gordon's face as he was forced to injure his friend to save another. "Where's Gordon?"

"Upstairs with the others. I'm certain if he wasn't needed, he'd be down here to see you." There was a fondness in Jeff's voice when he spoke of the genie. "I can't imagine what would have happened if he hadn't been there to get you two out."

Virgil nodded, acutely aware of where he would probably still be if not for magic. That place had come down. Even with the mole, his family might not have made it to them in time. "Wish I could thank him myself."

Jeff actually laughed and the irony wasn't missed. "I can call him if it'll help?"

A low throb pulsed through his stomach as he waved off the offer, shaking his head. "I'll see him eventually. Seems wrong to do it over the comm."

"Good man," his father offered the cup of water again at the roughness of Virgil's tone. "How do you feel?"

The pillow behind his head wasn't nearly deep enough to sink into to ease the ache, but he tried to offer a reassuring smile. "Like I've been stabbed. How's John?"

"Still asleep." Jeff looked over to the other side of the room and Virgil's followed. John lay ghostly white against the cotton sheets, red hair almost glowing in comparison. His chest rose and fell steadily, however, and gave the engineer a chance to draw in his own breath. John was alive. His father's hand found his hand again, anchoring him to the bed. "Gordon was able to shift enough of the wound to prevent too much more blood loss, but your brother took a pretty hard hit. Brains is certain he'll pull through given the amount of transfusion our genie friend gave him."

Virgil's lips thinned as he fought back a sudden wave of emotion and need for the genie to be standing here and able to accept so much gratitude. "That's good, then."

A hand cupped the side of his face and he leaned into it. Wordlessly, the thumb brushed his cheek, stealing away the tear that had escaped. It was only a moment, but it felt like he was back on the farm, working with his father in the garage on the engine of their truck. He'd been so proud and had made sure Virgil understood that. That same feeling was here, now, only with the added fear he might've lost his family today.

Eventually, Jeff broke the silent reverie. "Can I get you anything?"

He thought about refusing, content to just have his father by his side, which was still somewhat impossible to believe, but one thought flitted through his head. "John said the factory collapse was deliberate."

That hadn't been anywhere near what his father had expected and there was no hiding the anger that flashed through the pale blue eyes before it receded back under control. "Yes - it was. EOS has been able to continue some of what your brother collected. It's what the others are working on upstairs."

Virgil frowned, his own anger growing with the confirmation of his brother's findings. Who would've wanted that place destroyed? "Any idea who did this?"

"Some, but they've been having trouble linking it directly." A soft expression and the fingers smoothed back the dark hair from Virgil's forehead, "but you don't need to worry about that right now. Just rest, that's an order."

Laughing hurt, but it was nothing compared to the warmth in his chest from the love he felt. "FAB, Dad. You'll let me know if anything changes?"

"Of course. I wouldn't be surprised to see Scott or Alan down here once I tell them you're awake." Jeff smiled.

They'd probably be upset they hadn't been told the moment he woke up. Another concern popped to the forefront. "Can I see our files before they get here? Just curious about the damage."

His father didn't have to go far as he plucked a tablet from the side table and handed it to his second eldest. "He did a good job."

"Brains always goes above and beyond." Virgil affirmed as he turned on the device with an unsteady hand.

"Brains was spectacular, but I was talking about Gordon." There was a knowing smile on the older man's face and Virgil didn't stop what he was doing to question it. The images were proof enough.

Instead of the deep wound the engineer had expected, a long jagged line cut a few inches down his belly. It avoided the major organs that would have led to further complications. It was surgical - precise - and would save him a great deal of healing.

Switching over to John's chart, he found a similar situation. The wound was much deeper, but zigzagged around organs where possible.

It was incredible and for a long moment he couldn't find the words.

When he did, they were strained as they passed through the tightness in his throat.

"I think - I'd like to talk to him now."

Jeff gave his arm a pat, strong and steady. "I thought you might. I'll get him."

OoOoOoO

"Another decommissioned waste recycling plant?" Scott sounded angry, but Gordon was too interested in the plan he had been considering. There was a simple way to figure this out, but then there were the details of proof. How would they prove the person was guilty if they couldn't find the smoking guns.

But they would know for a fact who they were tracing.

"I've got an idea," Gordon offered as the decision began to seem like their only option. He continued when the room turned to regard him. "Lady Penelope can wish to know who ordered the factory's destruction. I can pop in and find out, easy please. It's not exactly what we need, but at the very least, we'll know who we're looking for."

"Will they know you're there?" His mistress asked from beside him. She'd been a bit more aware of his need for support after what had happened.

The genie shook his head. "If you wish it, I can be invisible."

"Scott?" Her attention moved to the field commander along with everyone else's. "It's your call."

Blue eyes locked onto Gordon and there was so much trust sitting behind them. The answer was obvious. "Do it."

Penelope gave him the command and with one quick glance to Alan who had been quiet through most of the talks, he could see the fear. Fear of who they might find and what that meant for his family. In that instant, Gordon swore he would bring whoever it was down.

A flick of his fingers and he was gone, leaving the Tracys and their friends on the island as he traveled through the veil. It was only a second and then he was in a room, darkened by its grey, metal walls. The only illumination came from the video screens that held the faces of men and women Gordon didn't recognize.

"My offer is entirely dependent on your complete cooperation," a voice echoed around the room, but it was easy enough to find the source. A bald man sat in an ornate chair, facing the screens as he addressed his audience. It was a face Gordon recognized instantly from the reports they had been going through much earlier in the day. The Hood. "You do as I command and I will give you everything you have ever desired. Refuse and I promise you will lose everything. Simple enough?"

The faces grew angry at the mere idea of having to listen to the man's deal that didn't seem legitimate in the least.

"Who are you to threaten us?" One of the men voiced his objections.

"I assure you, I am not someone to be tested," the wicked smile said he wasn't unwilling, though. "But I would be happy to demonstrate."

Gordon found himself entranced with the exchange, wanting to know what this man was up to. When the group refused to budge, the Hood leaned over to whisper into the shadows. A snap and a second later the man on the screen gave a startled shout.

"What is this?!" Gordon watched as the man stood, a device blinking against his chest.

"I wouldn't advise touching it, unless you would prefer being a smear in the rubble?" The Hood warned. "As I was saying, you have a choice to make. Do as I say and I will reward you greatly. Refuse and I can deliver the same explosive to each of you."

"I don't know what kind of game you are playing, but Turkey will not be bullied." A woman glared, her words unwavering. Another snap and another device appeared before her. Gordon could only stare, wide eyed as she pushed herself away. The Hood moved, his finger pressing into a console and before anyone could stop it, an explosion tore through the office and broke the feed that had been streaming in.

The blonde wanted to react - wanted to tear at the monster that had taken a life so simply, but movement beyond pulled his attention to the figure who stepped out to stand next to the Hood. Everything in him was screaming, the connection branching like lightning to the genie whose master had just wished for the death of an innocent. Dark brown eyes lifted at the spark and connected with recognition and in that instant Gordon felt the plea and warning.

This was wrong.

And suddenly, the wish had been fulfilled, the pull of the universe ripping him away and back to the waiting faces on an island hundreds of miles away. They were looking at him with the expectation that he had the answer to who had attacked their family, but all he could think about was the future.

"The Hood -" Gordon spat it out, only confirming what the others already knew. It only meant they had a goal - a target to aim for and hope they could pick up evidence along the way. None of that would matter, however.

"Gordon?" Penelope's hand brushed against his arm before taking his hand. "What is it?"

Before he could voice the news, the comm sounded and Jeff appeared looking relieved. "Boys, your brother is awake."

Alan and Scott were up, followed closely by their grandmother, all too eager to check on Virgil and John. Kayo stayed, a haunted expression crossing her face before she glanced up and noticed him. His mistress's hand stayed in his as they stood.

"Virgil is asking to see you specifically, Gordon," Jeff smiled warmly.

He wanted to return the gesture, but everything was changing too quickly. They needed a plan - the world was in trouble.

The hologram blinked away and his feet began to move, but Penelope held him back with a gentle pull. Sapphire pinned him with her intensity and the question came back. "What's wrong?"

Gordon's lips thinned as the memory of what the Hood had done resurfaced. They all needed to know. "I need to talk to everyone, but first I need you to make a wish."

There was a flash of defiance in answer to his comment. Thankfully, she had learned to trust him. "Alright, but I expect answers immediately."

"Fair enough," he glanced back up to Kayo, Parker and Brains not too far off. "I need you to wish for the Tracys, Kayo, Brains, and Parker to be under my protection." He lifted a hand to stop the quizzical expression. "I'll explain everything in the infirmary."

He could see she wasn't satisfied and her voice was clipped as she made the wish. He almost smiled as she added after he had granted the wish, "Now, I wish we were in the infirmary."

OoOoOoO

The room was a quiet cacophony of whispers and laughter as the eldest and youngest of his brothers fought for his attention. Virgil was suddenly regretting his decision to call them down, but as the rest of their family and friends appeared, all annoyance left him.

Before he could call the genie over, however, Lady Penelope's authoritative voice gave a low command that would make anyone think twice about denying her.

"Alright, Gordon, please explain why I just wished for everyone's protection."

That had their attention and Scott was suddenly on full alert, intentionally or not stepping between the genie and his brothers. Virgil caught Gordon's eyes over the field commander's shoulder and knew his appreciation would have to wait.

"The situation with the Hood is worse than just what we experienced," he started, lacking the lighthearted tone of the man they had initially met. "He - he has a genie."

Silence descended on the room with the weight of that one statement.

Scott broke free first. "How is that possible?"

"I wish I could tell you it wasn't. He hasn't had one long. Only a couple hours, but -" Virgil watched a grimace pinch the corners of the blonde's eyes. "He's already killed at least one person."

"What?!" The brunette gasped, "How do you know?" Gordon didn't need to answer that for Virgil to recognize the trauma of watching someone die in front of you. Scott caught himself, quickly raising a hand to save the genie the pain of revealing what had happened. "Sorry, just - what can we do to stop him?"

Again, all eyes were on the only one in the room who knew anything about the mystical realm. Gordon's expression didn't bode well as his eyes closed, pain mixing with his hesitation. "Our options are extremely limited, and one of them involves killing the other genie. I don't feel like I have to explain how against that I am. It's not his fault."

No one voiced anything against that barrier. It wasn't an option they were willing to entertain, but it was still out there. A genie could die. The idea could be a last resort if it meant getting that kind of power away from the Hood. The engineer hated himself for even considering it, but they needed to face the reality that it might come to that.

Not that he was much help as his abdomen throbbed with his attempt to sit up further.

"Then what's our other option?" Jeff stood, fists held tight by his side. They hadn't talked much about the Hood since their father's return. The man had been the root cause for the eight years they'd been without him. Their father had suffered in space - alone. Right now, he probably would do anything to protect his family and the world from the villain.

Before Gordon could answer, a spark of energy bounced off Scott, arching into a nearby wall before dissipating. The brunette fell back into the chair that sat between the two beds. Jeff was to him first and it became immediately clear that his brother was alright.

"What the hell was that?!" Scott shouted as he jumped back up, his hand on their father's arm for reassurance.

Unfortunately, Virgil had reacted, wishing he hadn't as one leg hung off the side of the bed. Pain rippled through him with each attempt to get it back up and it was gentle hands from Gordon that helped the engineer back into bed.

"You okay?" Gordon asked and the room was suddenly dealing with too many problems. Virgil could see it on Alan's face as he stood with Grandma, wide eyed and uncertain what to do after seeing one brother almost electrocuted and the other struggling through injuries he'd sustained unnaturally.

"I'm good," Virgil grit the words out as he fought for control. "What happened to Scott?"

Another pair of hands pushed him back into the pillow and he turned to see his eldest brother working to keep calm. "Lay still, Virgil. I'm fine."

A sigh escaped the genie beside him, "We're running out of time - that was the Hood."

"What do you mean?" Alan joined them, looking more haggard than he had that first week after the accident. Virgil wanted to make him lay down as well, but he was stopped by the explanation.

"He made a wish against Scott," Gordon spoke with a calmness that masked the seriousness of the situation. "I've been able to block any of his attempts, but it's the same situation for him. I can't use my magic against him."

Scott's shoulders sank in disappointment. "So we can't just wish him somewhere?"

Gordon shook his head. "I can't. I can take us to him, though."

And that one statement sat like a stone on Virgil's chest. There was no way his family was going to confront that madman. Not without the GDF at their back, at least.

"We could deal with the Hood," Kayo, silently observing up to this point. Of course, she would be the one to deal with her uncle. "He can't make wishes if he's unconscious, correct?" A nod from the genie and she continued. "Then that's the plan. We sneak into his facility and incapacitate him. Gordon, how do we separate him from his genie?"

"That's the thing, you can't." Virgil didn't miss the shift of Gordon's attention to Lady Penelope. "His genie is bound to him until death. Is that a route we're willing to go down?"

Was it? Virgil might have thought about it on multiple occasions - after a disaster of the Hood's design had killed hundreds, for example - but never more than wishful thinking. There was a chance now - a reason worth considering it - and they would have to make a decision.

As if the day didn't want them to have a moment of peace, a trill beeped through the room and EOS appeared by John's bed. "Scott, we have a problem."

"We have a lot of problems," the brunette growled low enough for Virgil to know he hadn't meant to be heard. "Go ahead, EOS."

"The Thunderbirds -" it was still amazing how much emotion the AI could produce as she hesitated with the absurdity of her next statement. "They're gone."


	16. Chapter 16

"What do we do?" Scott's voice echoed with defeat through the empty hangar, his hands gripping the rail that overlooked Thunderbird 1's station.

"We get them back," the reassurance and steadiness in his father's words worked to ease the tension that came with feeling powerless. "Gordon can get us to the Hood's base - to our ships. He and Kayo are already setting up the plan and they'll need us if we want to stop the Hood from hurting anyone else."

A warm hand pressed to his back and the brunette dropped his face into his hands as he leaned against the railing. "Why is he doing this to us?" Scott asked into his palms, fully aware of what could have happened if they hadn't had Gordon protecting them.

"If I only knew," the elder man sighed. "Hatred is a powerful emotion. It could be nothing of our doing, but he has decided to hate who we are and what we stand for."

"Then how do we stop him?" He stood, blue eyes desperate for a solution and he knew what he was willing to do, even if it went against everything they had built International rescue on. Not everyone was worth saving. There were some that the world needed saving from. If that was his job, then so be it.

But if there was some other way… They all deserved to check every avenue before making a rash decision that could lead to the end of a life.

His father didn't answer. There wasn't one, yet, that they were all comfortable with and it had shown in Gordon's face. They were relying on the genie's knowledge and experience, but that had been limited to a shared understanding offered by the universe. Gordon just knew about the rules, never testing them out until now.

"What if -" Scott stopped not sure if he wanted to broach this to his father, but it needed to be said. "What if we don't have any other choice but to -"

"Scott," the gentle authority sent a shiver up his back. It brought with it memories of when he was Alan's age, fretting over his younger brothers and Dad working to keep him relaxed. It had helped some, but after losing him, Scott's anxiety had only grown with the responsibility of keeping the rest of the family together. Jeff's tone was a welcome one. "That is a job that neither you or any of your brothers will have to face. We have the technology to capture him without killing him. We can turn him over to the GDF after that."

Scott nodded, grateful that they had something to hold onto. Now, it was deciding who would go and what they would do when they got there. They couldn't be certain, but it seemed likely that their 'birds had been wished away by the Hood. Gordon had tried to get them back, but a genie couldn't undo another genie's wish. They would have to get them back on their own. If they could find them.

EOS had tried from her backup drives on the Island, but without Thunderbird 5, she was left in a state of frustration that had forced them to place her in the portable unit, now sitting beside John's infirmary bed. That had calmed her, but still offered a new reason for her to be angry.

"I guess we'll figure the rest out after," Scott relented his grip on the rail. "Let's see what Kayo's got."

"Good plan," Jeff wrapped an arm around his eldest's shoulders, the hug more than welcome as they headed back to the lounge.

OoOoOoO

"Are you sure about this?" Gordon caught Kayo's intense gaze as they stood over the holographic blueprints of the Hood's base that Penelope had wished for. The war that had been waging inside the security officer's head earlier was gone and in its place, he could see confidence.

"The fewer the better," she clarified. "The Hood is smart. He'll assume we can find the Thunderbirds even though we can't see them in our scans. He'll be prepared for anything."

"Scott's gonna be pissed," Gordon grinned, despite the situation. He agreed this was dangerous and he wasn't thrilled with the idea of putting any of them in danger. Kayo had a connection with the villain and would be their best option for implementing their plan.

"If this works, he'll get over it," her smile met his.

"Then I suggest we leave," Penelope gestured to the elevator that had activated. Parker took his place next to her, obviously ready to protect his charge.

"Lady Penelope, could you acquire us some stealth gear, please?" Kayo asked, eyes on the elevator.

Sapphire eyes, filled with trust, sent a spark through his core and he didn't hesitate to clothe them in black uniforms for the early hours of morning they would be entering into. A day. All of this had taken place in less than 24 hours. It seemed impossible, but he knew better. Genie magic had the ability to turn the world on its head in a matter of seconds. Gordon just hoped the plan would work, because the alternative - the one he had kept to himself - would not be ideal for anyone involved.

The elevator came to a stop and they heard the doors slide open.

"I wish we were in the Hood's facility," the London agent whispered and just as Gordon snapped, he saw the shock and confusion on the commander's face.

A second later and the four found themselves hidden in the shadows of a maintenance room, Kayo already on the move to scan their area for life signs. Gordon took up position behind her, followed closely by Penelope and Parker. The hall remained empty as they silently slipped around the corner and down another corridor. The holographic map only offered a general location for them to head towards - a large chamber that could potentially house the Thunderbirds.

At least, he hoped they were there.

Gordon found he was grateful for Kayo's presence. She had skills that far exceeded the rest of them and from the file he'd found in regards to the Hood, she might be their only chance of stopping him.

"We're here," the young woman whispered back to them, keying through a screen on her wrist. There were at least four life signs moving through the large room, which wasn't too worrying. He could move people to any place in the world at his mistress's word. If it was the Hood, then the real challenge would begin.

The doors slid open smoothly, revealing the high ceiling of what they had hoped was a hangar. What it was, however, left them stunned. Piles of money, each a different currency lined the room. At the center, a throne, ornate and grotesque in its richness. It sat atop stacks of gold bars that sent a dull glow over the walls and in it, the man they had come for.

And he was looking straight at them.

"Ah, I was beginning to wonder when you would come to visit," the Hood grinned from where he lounged. "I had hoped you would have brought at least one Tracy with you, Tanusha."

Gordon felt his skin buzz at the cold composure of the villain and his head was screaming for him to get his friends out of there. This man knew they were coming and seemed to be prepared. And where was-

Just as he thought it, the connection - the link bound by the universe - pulled his attention to the figure in the shadows just past the throne. Gordon wanted to reach out to know what was at stake. What was the Hood planning?

"Sorry to disappoint," Kayo taunted back, sounding anything but apologetic.

"It's funny," the bald man's grin only grew. "If I hadn't been privy to a certain amount of information, I would be questioning how you made it inside so easily." Yellow eyes shifted to stare straight into him and Gordon shuddered with the recognition. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your new friend? I've already heard so much about him."

The security officer tensed just the slightest, but it was enough for the genie to know she'd been caught off guard. Gordon's own gut had flipped and his attention returned to the other genie. He felt the regret pass over their connection and his worry grew. Kayo's voice was steady despite the trouble they were in. "Save the pleasantries for someone who cares. We're here to stop whatever it is you're doing."

"Why, what could you possibly think I'm doing?" The Hood's hands lifted as though finding the comment offensive. "Simply a man growing his wealth, I'd say."

Their plan was quickly reforming in his head, but the danger was much greater with the man aware of their presence. Penelope moved just the slightest behind him - the damsel in a dangerous situation that would be overlooked in lieu of those with fighting skills. She was their one hope of taking him down without a fight.

"By killing innocent people?" Kayo growled.

The Hood's face contorted with confusion, but there must have been enough in that accusation to fill in a few holes. A laugh fell past the villain's lips, "I almost didn't believe him at first. I thought maybe he had simply warped more of my wishes when I thought to capture Scott. Imagine my surprise when I learned the Tracys had a genie of their own and knew all about mine." The eyes were back on Gordon who tried not to bristle at the glee he saw in them. "I do hope you enjoyed the show, my boy. It's about to have an encore."

Penelope moved just as two large henchmen sprung from behind the piles of money. Her weapon rose and fired in the split second it too for the men to take their first lumbering steps, but as the tranquilizing bolt closed in on its target, a shimmer of energy caught it. The group stood stunned and Gordon's mind raced for another option as the goons descended on Parker and Kayo. Both nimbly avoided their first blows from the massive individuals. He watched as the tranq gun aimed at the man attacking Parker, but before she could obtain a clear shot, the Hood's voice broke over them.

"I wouldn't, if I were you," the man grinned, producing a tablet from the arm of his chair. "I have access to more explosives located around the world. At a simple stroke of my finger, you'll be responsible for someone's untimely demise."

They hadn't planned for this. A flaw of being the good guy meant the bad ones had the advantage. Threaten just one life and they could win. Gordon's own plan crept forward, edging him closer to a choice he didn't want to make.

_Find another way…_ He thought as Penelope took a stand next to him, the weapon gone for the moment.

"What do you want?" She ground out, if only to keep the Hood busy. Kayo was halfway across the room with the larger of the two goons. The man was clumsy, but he had power behind his strikes. One hit and Kayo would be in trouble. Parker wasn't much better off, his movements leaning more towards deflection and retreat. He needed an opening to take the advantage of speed and downright dirty fighting.

"Simple. World domination," the Hood made it sound as if he were reading from a Christmas list. "So far, it seems greed and self-preservation are the leading strategies to obtain just that." He picked up a coin from a stack by his throne, rolling it over his fingers. "And now, what I truly want, is for your genie to die, by which Fuse here has assured me is quite possible."

Gordon's core pulsed with fear, but he knew where his lamp was. It would be safe.

The genie - Fuse - stepped into the light, gold beams bouncing over the black suit that made him seem more of an assassin than mystical creature. His jaw was clenched and Gordon wondered what he might be trying to withstand.

"Now, your ladyship," the Hood taunted as he stood from his throne. "I'd like to introduce you to true power." A glance to the genie by his side. "I wish for you to destroy him."

Gordon didn't think, just pushed his mistress out of the way as a chunk of stone shot up from the floor and slammed into him, his back colliding with the door they had come through. His core shook violently with the impact and he slid to the floor in a daze. Penelope was back to her feet, wide eyed and he could see the fear as it tried to overtake the woman who was so used to being in control.

"Mistress!" The command jarred her from the shock and she shot a glance to the Hood and the genie attacking him.

"I wish you would fight back!" Music to his ears and he felt his element surge free as water pulled from the air to surround him. Fuse had done the same, only his form had become that of earth and stone. Gordon could already envision the collateral damage their fight would bring with it.

_Good… _he could keep his friends protected while the Hood's base collapsed. Whatever Fuse had told his master, this wasn't the way to kill another genie, but it did offer a new route for his own plan.

With more zealous than was necessary, Gordon sent out a whip of water, letting it slam into a far wall, just inches from his counterpart. The resounding screech of bent metal gave him hope that he could bring the building down given enough effort.

Fuse's glowing red eyes locked with his aqua, the message loud and clear that they would have to do what they could while keeping to their masters' wishes. In response, a chunk of stone ripped from the floor sending gold bars tumbling into the newly formed pit. It slammed into Gordon's torso and embedded into the fluid before falling away.

Nothing about this fight was particularly painful, but his focus was scattered. Penelope still stood by the doorway, his connection to her making it easy to keep her safe. Parker's man hadn't been prepared for the elemental battle and was currently stunned and slack jawed. The chauffeur had climbed a pile of money with a look of relief. Kayo was on the opposite side fighting her goon, who must've been willing to accept anything as normal as long as he did his job. The young woman was quick to leap out of the way of his attacks, but if Gordon didn't resolve this battle soon - she couldn't afford one slip up.

He surged forward, wrapping his form around the stone figure and let himself seep into every corner. Water always won in the end, but Fuse was powerful. His core burst with magma, scorching the liquid as it reached inside.

_Damn!_ Gordon hissed. Abandoning that option was only temporary as he dropped around the larger genie's feet. Mud began to spread over the floor, making it slick as Fuse took a lumbering step forward and slid. He toppled into the pile of gold bars, sending it crashing to the floor with the Hood leaping clear with a growl of his own.

"What are you doing, you fool?!" The villain spat. "I said destroy him!"

The water elemental would have laughed at the Hood's plight, but the sediment that had mixed within him suddenly grew ridged, spreading throughout his form before hurling him into the wall. Fuse peeled him off, slamming him into the floor.

Panic set in as Gordon found it difficult to extract himself from all of the particles. His focus returned to his charges, desperate to keep them safe as he was thrown towards Parker. Fuse was well aware of what he was doing, however, and the mass of water hit the henchman. The goon crumpled under the blow and Gordon felt a spark of hope ignite before he was pulled back up.

The only problem, Fuse still had a wish to fulfill and the ground burst upwards, swirling around him until it formed a thick cocoon of solid stone. The sediment fell from him and Gordon threw himself at the inner wall of the sphere. His fingers ran over the smooth surface, scrambling for any crack to slip into.

But there were none.

Throwing himself in every direction, nothing budged and Gordon tried to reach out to his mistress, but he couldn't find her. Fuse was inadvertently blocking their link with his own powers. Despair was immediate, his core screaming to get out and protect her.

_If I can't find a crack, I'll make one!_ He didn't have a specific location to focus on, but that didn't stop the pinpoint deluge of water that cycled into the one spot of stone he hoped would give. His teeth clenched as he poured more energy into his attack and felt the first fissure open. It was all he needed to press forward, widening the weakness until he felt open air and streamed his way through.

Gordon's immediate concern was his mistress, finding her ducked behind a pile of treasure to avoid laser fire from a weapon the Hood had produced. He fought to make it to her, the wish demanding he get back out and fight, but he needed her to end this.

And that sent a new ache through him.

"Mistress - this won't end." The genie gasped out once he knelt by her side.

"What do we do?" Penelope's eyes were full of fear as a black burn mark appeared on the wall behind them.

A wish, but one no genie would willingly ask for. It was a shared understanding between their kind that spoke of great consequences if ever attempted. Yet… It would put a stop to all of this for good.

"I need you to wish for - for me to absorb the other genie's powers." He hoped she couldn't hear the tremble in his voice at his request. Gordon knew she would do as he asked and there was no going back now.

"If you sure?" Bless her for asking, but it was still a dagger to his core to nod. "Then I wish for you to absorb the genie's power."

The snap echoed loud and final in his ears and a new sensation coursed through him. Even the earth elemental seemed to notice it as he stopped to stare at Gordon reemerging from beside Penelope.

"What have you done?" Fuse asked, taking a step back.

"Just - get them out of here -" he ground out just as the universe demanded he shoot forward, a stream of ice blue slicing through stone, straight into the core of the genie. Gordon felt it surge in protest, but it was only a second, his own core fusing with the energy until he felt the stone armor fall away, revealing the man who had been cursed long ago.

Fuse's bare feet hit the ground, his upper half held firm by the colossal form Gordon had become. The room had gone quiet as the fighting ceased, Parker collecting Penelope as they stood to see the result of Gordon's request.

"Fuse! What are you doing?!" The Hood snapped, more irate with his genie than the intruders.

Dark brown eyes just regarded Gordon, awe and disbelief in their newly reclaimed humanity. "Why?"

The blonde gave a sad, lopsided smile, "Seemed like the right thing to do."


	17. Chapter 17

Penelope had no idea what had just happened. She did know that Gordon had somehow ended the battle that had been tearing the room apart with each of Fuse's attacks. She took Parker's arm as they stepped over the marred bills and gold. Her eyes were on Gordon, however, as his new form shifted between solid earth and illuminous fluid. It was like viewing the bottom of the ocean with its cragged structures where creatures could hide.

He was stunning.

"Lady Penelope," he called to her in a voice that resounded with his new power, breaking the trance. "Wish everything back to where it came from."

She nodded, her throat dry as she overcame the shock of the last few minutes. "I wish for everything to be back to its rightful place, including the Thunderbirds."

A watery grin, so bright she could feel pinpricks at the corner of her eyes and he snapped crystal blue fingers. In a blink, the piles of money and gold disappeared, leaving the room desolate and dark, save for the mystical being at its center.

"No!" The Hood screamed with rage. "How is this possible?"

Penelope ignored him, watching her genie as he stared into his hand.

And she saw the thick, black veins begin to creep through his fingers and into his palm.

"Gordon?"

His smile had faded and he turned to the naked man he had just been fighting, a look of pained regret on Fuse's face.

"I wish," both men found the Hood, their eyes wide and she suddenly felt Gordon's fear. "They were all at the bottom of the ocean!"

That fear increased to pure terror as she watched Gordon's other hand come up with as much resistance as he could manage. The stone fingers pressed together and in one snap, Parker and Kayo vanished.

Her heart leapt into her throat and Penelope instinctively reached into her pocket and pulled free her compact. Parker's hologram appeared a second later.

"Research facility, M'lady," he soothed quickly. "Bottom h'of the ocean, it seems. Ms. Kayo is here as well. Where are you?"

"Still in the Hood's base," Penelope couldn't decide who to keep her eyes on, the Hood seemingly focused on the confusing fact that Gordon had granted his wish, the genie sinking to the ground beside Fuse. How she and the other man were still there, she wondered if it had been Gordon's doing. The location of her friends confirmed that he had at least done what the Hood had asked.

And the stone hand took on the same webbing that looked more like cracks shearing through the rock that had appeared in his other hand.

Determination engulfed the fear and she ran over to her friend. It was daunting to look at him as he towered above her, but the torn expression on his face sent an ache of worry through her chest.

"Gordon, what's wrong?" Penelope tried to keep her voice calm, but it didn't seem to be reaching the genie.

"He's taken my powers - my curse." Fuse offered.

"What's happening to him?" The dark veins had progressed into his arms.

"A genie can't serve two masters," there was an apology hidden under the explanation. "It's why we know never to try takin' another genie's powers. He's bein' torn apart."

At that, Gordon finally noticed her, the glow in his eyes shifting between different shades of blue. It was like staring into the waves in the open ocean. "Sorry, Mistress."

"Don't apologize, just tell me how to fix this," she couldn't be mad at him for the sacrifice, but there was no way she was going to let him give up without a fight.

"Pen-"

"I hate to break up this grotesque moment, but I still have plans that don't involve the likes of you," yellow eyes glared at her with the frustration she and her friends had brought with them. "I thought I wished for everyone to be gone?"

"I can't - " Gordon caught himself, but the villain had already caught on, glaring at the genie.

"Whatever you've done, I still have wishes," an impatient frown drew over his face. "So, Genie, I wish my facility was no longer destroyed."

A groan preceded a snap and hiss as the cracks in Gordon's arm crawled further across his chest, black tendrils winding through the water of his chest. The room, however, was back to its pristine grey and Penelope instantly realized how vulnerable she was.

Fuse was already ahead of her, placing himself between her and the villain. "Don't worry, miss, 'e's still your genie, too. Best wish us outta 'ere."

"I wish for all of Turkey's wealth! Seeing as without a leader, they'll bend to my will!" The grin was making its way back with ease, but as Gordon granted it, a pile of dry corn spread around the room.

The genie let out a strained laugh as the decay contined to spread up his throat. "The turkeys -are gonna be sad."

Horror was all Penelope could feel as she watched her friend quickly being overcome with the darkness. What was she supposed to do? She needed to save him before whatever was consuming him took him completely.

"Miss? We need to go!" Fuse tried again, but she couldn't and she wouldn't let the Hood have another chance to make the wishes that were tearing her genie - her friend - apart.

"Gordon," her voice felt fragile with what she needed to say. The blue was still there, half his face gone to the void. He didn't speak, only nodded with the intent to do as she asked. And she had only one thing she wanted from him in this moment. "I wish you weren't a genie anymore. I want you to live."

The blue eyes flared, his mouth hanging open with unspoken shock. This wasn't what he had expected and as his hands came up, she felt strong ones take her shoulders, pulling her away. She twisted, recognizing Fuse and the urgency on his face.

Penelope wouldn't be skirted off without knowing what she had done, turning back to see what was left of Gordon's water and earth form. The glow had intensified such that it shook the room around them, sending them clawing for the wall for stability.

Any other time and place, the London agent would have found being protected by a naked man rather off putting . She might have even left him regretting being this close, but as the room around them erupted into wind and sound, bolts of energy sparking off the walls until the roof tore free, she was glad for his presence.

As the cacophony gradually died down, they found the entire room had been exposed to the early morning sky. Floating in the center was an orb of pure golden energy, the dark tendrils gone. It was warm and beautiful, enticing her towards it, but Fuse's grasp held strong and Penelope was forced to watch as the energy shot out and into the sky.

And then, it was gone. All they could see by was the soft glow of the sun cresting the horizon. The Hood was gone, however, his henchmen left dumbfounded as they surveyed the destruction.

None of that mattered, though. Penelope pushed away from Fuse and ran towards the center of the room where a single figure lay motionless. She knelt by his side, turning Gordon onto his back. Her ear pressed to his bare chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart, feeling the rise and fall of his chest.

"Gordon?" She whispered as she sat up, pushing his hair away from his face. He didn't stir, his face slack with the effects of her final wish. "Can you hear me?"

Still nothing, but she was at least comforted by the fact he was alive. How close had she been to losing him? What would have happened if their wishes had torn him apart as Fuse had warned?

And just like that, those breaths and heart beats meant more to Penelope than any amount of wealth. Tears sprung to her eyes and she blinked them away as footsteps sounded behind here.

"Found 'is clothes," Fuse dropped the damp pants and shirt on the ground beside her, not that she could do anything with them. She doubted the discomfort would be welcomed either.

"Thank you," years of training demanded she show gratitude and was pleased to see the man had found his own garments, as well. She retrieved her compact from her pocket, flipping it open and keying in the code she needed. "Scott?"

"Lady Penelope! Are you alright? We just sent the GDF to the Pacific Oceanic center to pick up Kayo and Parker. Where are you?" Scott's questions came at her in the silence of the open room and she had to hold up a hand to calm him.

"Still in the Hood's facility. Do you think you can come get us?" Her words were steady even though she felt anything but. "Did it work, I mean? Are the Thunderbirds-"

"They're back. EOS alerted us immediately when Five reappeared in orbit." He paused a moment, confusion knitting his brow, "Where's Gordon?"

"He's here - unconscious - so a lift would be greatly appreciated." And finally she saw the gears click.

"I'll be right there," Scott offered as he moved towards his launch tube.

Jeff took his place, "Hello, Penny. Are you alright?"

Maybe it was the warmth or the fact it was Jeff trying to comfort her in the first place, but she found the warm tears had resurfaced. She kept them from spilling over with a quick nod and a smile that she truly meant but wished she could give in person.

"Good," and the comfort in that one word had some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "Scott will be at your location in four minutes. Just hold tight."

As if they hadn't already been through enough, a groan sounded from a pile of debris in the corner of the room. Penelope watched as it shifted and the man who had caused all of this appeared from under a sheet of metal.

"You," the Hood growled, unsteadily getting to his feet and there was a trail of red flowing from a gash on the side of his head. "We had everything! Why would you destroy that?!"

Her compact clipped shut before she could offer a glance to Jeff, her ire at the man stumbling towards them sending a flame through her senses. "You brought this on yourself, Hood! Your selfish, egotistical self! You could've taken your wishes and lived a life of luxury, but no, you used him to kill and create fear! You ruined your own gift."

In hindsight, poking an already angry villain might not have been the best idea, but it felt good. If it weren't for him, her friend wouldn't be lying unconscious on the ground. He would be saving lives with the Tracys.

"Then I'll just have to settle for you!" The Hood snarled. "I'm certain the Tracys and your family would pay handso-"

A large fist connected with the villain's nose, sending a sharp crack through the room as cartilage broke. Penelope heard the thud of the smaller figure as he fell, Fuse blocking her view.

"Ow," Fuse hissed, shaking his hand. "That smarts. Felt pretty good though. Been wantin' to do that since 'e woke me up."

The henchman - possibly at the sight of seeing their boss decked out on the floor - moved to attack, growling with intent as he ran at Fuse. The deep sounds of VTOL sent him skidding to a halt, however, the wind whipping around them as Thunderbird 1 descended above the open roof. Scott appeared a second later, rushing to them with a concerned expression.

"GDF are on their way," he shouted over the engines for them to hear, as well as the goon who had yet to decide if staying was worth whatever the Hood paid him. Apparently, it wasn't and he turned and ran for one of the room's exits.

When the field commander shifted his attention to Fuse, Penelope held up a hand to stop any more violence. "He's a friend, Scott. We need to get out of here."

The amount of trust she demanded when faced with a stranger dressed in the Hood's uniform must have been great for Scott to nod without question. Two harnesses were lowered and he handed one to Fuse while attaching the other to Gordon. Still, the blonde didn't stir with the jostling.

"Hang on to me," the brunette ordered and she was happy to oblige as they flew up to the ship. She moved out of the way as the harnesses were retracted and she was pleased to see Fuse helping to direct his counterpart into Scott's waiting arms.

The entire process took less than a few minutes and Penelope was acutely aware of the jet flying away from the Hood's facility without Scott at the helm. The pilot was busy getting Gordon on an infirmary bed attached to the inner hull of his 'bird.

He was working with a medical scanner when he pulled her away from the shock she'd been trying to keep at bay. "There are blankets behind you, if you'd like to get him one."

Purpose - she needed the distraction and helping Gordon offered just that. She found the blankets easily enough, warm under her touch and she let it fall open before placing it over her friend. Her friend - she had only known him a few months, but he had become a welcome fixture to her family. The Tracys' family. What would happen now?

Movement to her left and she found Fuse sliding down the wall to sit on the metal floor, his face falling into his hands. She couldn't imagine what he was going through but she figured Gordon might endure the same once he woke up.

Turning to Scott, Penelope saw the relief, sky blue eyes finding hers. "Physically, he's fine. Hopefully, he'll wake up and tell us more."

That seemed to be all he needed to say before departing to begin their landing sequence back to the island. Her hand found the loose waves of blonde hair and she smoothed it back from where it had fallen once more. At least, for this moment, he looked peaceful. Time would tell if anything else was wrong.

"Are you alright?" Penelope called to the other man, still seated on the floor once Scott had retreated to the pilot's seat.

"Not really, no," Fuse groaned. "Been quite some time since I was human. Feels pretty rubbish."

Her heart ached at that blatant confession. "I'm sorry. We didn't mean for any of this to happen."

His tone lightened, "Oh, don't get me wrong, feeling tired and achy, not my favorite, but you do understand - we're free now." Their eyes met and there was pure joy in his. "To make our own choices and live our lives. To never have to watch another master that we loved die." A smile spread over his face. "This is a gift we can never repay in full. Thank you."

This time, emotion won out and a tear escaped. She let it fall, the droplet disappearing into the fabric of the blanket. Gordon deserved at least one - or two.


	18. Chapter 18

Voices, distant, but identifiable were the first things John noticed as he lifted from the fog. The pain came next, but the astronaut suspected there were some medications keeping it to a dull ache. The sluggish draw of his thoughts only confirmed that.

"Hey, I think he's waking up!" Alan's voice was unmistakable with the enthusiasm that came with being a teen. Who he was talking to, John wasn't entirely curious.

Until she called his name. "C'mon, John, let me see those gems." Ridley always had a way of making his heart jump, her words encouraging him closer to consciousness. One eyelid peeled open, followed by the other and he had to blink away the blurry faces hovering by his side. "There they are. Welcome back, Starboy."

As his eyes finally adjusted, John realized there was only one figure in the room as Alan leaned over him with a bright grin. Ridley's hologram was right next to him, her spacesuit an indication of just where she was.

"How are you feeling, bro?" The young blonde asked, offering a cup with a hot pink straw sticking out.

The red-head took a careful sip, feeling the cool liquid sooth his dry throat. "Wha- what happened?"

"Oh, a building fell on you, but don't worry, Gordon got you guys out." Alan gestured to the bed on the other side of the room and it took more effort than he liked to turn his head.

Virgil was sitting up, a smile on his face as he waved. "Hey, John, glad to see you awake."

"You okay?" He found himself asking, more concerned with his older brother.

"Of course, just got a scratch. You're the one with the hole in your belly." There was a haunted sadness in Virgil's smile and John hoped to look deeper into their accident, but right now he was content to sink back into his pillow and let Alan watch over him.

"You need anything?" His little brother asked.

"Holoprojector... my tablet…" A hand stopped him before he could continue.

"I can give you this comm projector and your girlfriend," Alan gestured to the beaming captain, who seemed quite amused with his little brother.

John didn't have the energy to argue, no matter how much he wanted to monitor what was happening around the world. Ridley's hologram shifted and he realized Alan had removed her from the side table and brought the projector to sit on the bed.

"Hi," the red-head smiled.

"Hey, Hot Shot. Can't say I like seeing you like this." She was normally so confident, but he could hear the tremor of fear behind her grin.

"I'll try not to make a habit of it."

The room dissolved into the two astronaut's talking while Alan and Virgil kept themselves busy with chess. They were all startled from their activities when the door slid open and Scott led a gurney into the already crowded room.

"Scott?" Virgil questioned, the chess match already dissolving as he and Alan turned their attention to their eldest. "What -"

The room fell silent at the sight of Gordon laid out on the hovering bed. John was trying to process what was wrong, but his mind still felt partially detached with the medications. One thing struck through, clear as day. Genie's couldn't be unconscious, right?

Lady Penelope wasn't too far behind, followed by a large figure he'd never met before. Of the brothers, John tended to know her best, having been in multiple conversations with her regarding her work outside of International rescue. He knew when she'd been rattled simply because he had never seen her look anything other than put together and in control. John almost didn't recognize the woman now as she took up a spot next to Gordon's gurney with tear tracks still on her cheeks.

Scott was standing over him before he could register his brother was aware of his consciousness. "Hey, John! Glad to see you're awake."

The astronaut wanted to know just what had happened, but his voice was lost to fatigue. He was thankful Virgil was on the same wavelength.

"Scott, what happened? What's going on?" There was no missing the frustration. The engineer was all about making sure things worked properly and right now, Gordon looked broken.

Their eldest brother didn't answer, however, his attention moving back to the London agent and their guest. "Lady Penelope?"

At her name, John watched as the protective veil came back up, the few tracks of moisture on her face, wiped away with steady hand. Where he had expected a waver, her voice was soft.

"I made a wish."

OoOoOoO

"And you're sure this is what you want?" Gordon stared into the man's face, already knowing the answer.

He'd awoken to Penelope and Fuse watching over him a day after the events with the Hood. They had filled him in on a few of the gaps, but Gordon was well aware what his mistress had done.

Not his mistress. Not any more and never again. He was free.

It had taken him more than a little convincing to prove to Penelope that he was okay and pleased with her decision. He had originally thought he had sentenced himself to death after taking the other genie's powers. Leave it to her to save his life. And with that choice came so much freedom.

That same freedom was being seen in Fuse as he prepared to leave the island they had been on for the last few months.

"Oi, I said no blubberin'," the larger man teased. "I wanna see the world on my own terms, remember."

"I know, I know," Gordon pouted, "but who's gonna watch ridiculous shows with me?"

"Alan. That kid'll just about do anythin' you will," Fuse laughed, catching the blonde off guard as he pulled him into a crushing hug. "Gonna miss ya, Fish."

"Keep in touch," he squeezed back, finding himself glad they had both survived. "And if you need anything -"

"You're at the top of my contacts. You'll be the first I call." A hand ruffled the blonde waves before pushing him away. "Now go before you get vaporized by the jet blasts."

Emotions were still a new experience for him and he suddenly felt his throat tighten as his friend made for TracyOne's steps. Fuse must have felt a bit as well, turning back to Gordon with a sad smile.

"See ya around, Gordo."

His hand came up and he felt the pinpricks behind his eyes. A thought popped up to intercede and his smile grew. "Bye, Felix."

That sent a grimaced expression over the sappy grin, "Why'd I let you help John with my papers?"

"Oh, you'll get used to it!"

Even through the groans and moans, Gordon recognized the appreciation. They needed to laugh. They'd been given new lives.

Gordon was in the lounge when the jet took off, Kayo on route to Bali to finish setting up Fuse's accommodations. He felt thin fingers slip into his hand as the plane disappeared into the clouds and he gave Penelope a smile he hoped read that he was okay.

"You'll see him for Christmas," she soothed.

"How are you so sure he'll be back by then?" He'd grown to love her way of manipulation and was intrigued by the possibility she had done something to influence their friend.

"I told him we already got him a present." A mischievous grin met hers. "I guarantee it'll be bugging him for months to know what it is."

He laughed, glad that she was thinking towards the future while he worked on one day at a time. A kiss pressed to the corner of his lips and all thought of Fuse was gone. That was the other part he was glad of as he leaned down to capture her lips.

"Getting pretty good at that," Penelope teased as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I've got a good teacher," his thumb brushed the side of her face as she smiled up at him. Love was an intense emotion when one had a physical heart to feel it. His was currently flipping with the idea of kissing her again. It was interrupted as a different beat filled the lounge, alerting its residents of a crisis in need of their attention.

John appeared over the holocomm, giving the two a knowing grin before he brought up the image of the globe. Scott and Alan made their way down the stairs and suddenly the couple had lost all sense of privacy.

"What's the situation, John?" Scott asked as he took a seat on the couch.

"Two cargo ships collided off the coast of Malaysia and a storm is approaching." The map enlarged to show the two boats as an icon not far off the coast, a cyclone icon quickly moving towards it. "They've requested assistance getting the crew out before the weather turns."

"Alright, you two up for some water extractions?" The brunette addressed his little brother and Gordon.

"Always!" Both shouted in unison, earning eyerolls from the other three.

"Alan, you and I'll head to Thunderbird 2, Gordon, get Thunderbird 4 loaded." The field commander was already heading for his launch tube as he gave the instruction. Virgil was still a ball of grump with how long his recovery was taking, made worse by the fact that John got to head back up to Thunderbird 5 even though his injuries had been more severe. The astronaut had argued that the low gravity would allow for better healing and won.

Before he could run off to his own launch platform, Penelope caught him by the arm and pulled him back into a kiss that communicated more than just "good luck". She pulled away from him and the room swayed just the slightest and he wondered if his grin looked as wobbly as he felt.

"Come back safe, alright?" It was an order poised as a question and he told himself he would never let her down. Scott had indicated during his training that it was always a possibility to not come back at all, but optimism demanded a different thought process.

With a salute Gordon ran towards the fish tank, "FAB, M'lady!"

They were loaded and inside Thunderbird 2 in less time than it took for John to expand on their mission. As long as they made it to the ships before the wind and rain, the rescue would be straight forward.

But International rescue rarely did things straight forward. Gordon and Alan were dropped in Thunderbird 4 while Scott piloted Two, keeping both ships from sinking while Alan went to work getting the crew onto the chair lift and Gordon worked his way inside.

He found a few crewmembers who had been cut off from the entrance and been stuck in the flooded section. A couple trips with spare helmets saw them into the rear of his Thunderbird.

"Alright, everybody." Gordon called over the comm, a smile on his face. "Welcome aboard International rescue cruises. Please feel free to let your captain know how you've enjoyed your rescue. Warm towels and homemade hot chocolate will be available once we're topside. And as always, thank you for choosing to travel with us in your time of need. Now, please remain seated as we get a smooth pickup from our very own-"

"Gordon," the warning was clear in Scott's voice, but he could see the smiles on his group's faces in the back of the sub. He was simply offering a bit of silliness in a bleak situation. "I've got visual. Activating retrieval procedures now."

A loud thud hit the roof as a grapple made contact. Gordon let go of his controls and flipped his seat back, pulling himself up to address the group. "Looks like someone else has decided to fly us home. In the meantime, anyone have any concerns they'd like to share?"

No one moved at first, but when a young woman, closer to Alan's age, waved, Gordon gave her his best smile.

"Um - who are you? I-I mean I've never seen you before." She leaned forward against the shoulder straps and he got the distinct idea she was trying to get a good look at him.

"I'm new, the name's Gordon." He grinned, but her face said she wanted more. "Gordon Tracy."

"Oh! So there are five of you?" She brightened and an audible groan sounded from a few of the other rescuees. "I'm a huge fan! I've been trying to learn everything about you guys!"

_Uh oh_, he chuckled at her enthusiasm and imagined what was about to happen once they disembarked. Alan might be the best to deflect her to, seeing how their commander wasn't too thrilled with people knowing too much about them.

The sub locked into place and the rear hatch opened with the younger blonde waiting just outside. "Right this way, watch your step."

"Oh, wow!" It was like she hadn't just been inside a sinking ship as she bounced into the module, her eyes roaming around.

Gordon caught Alan's confused look and gave him a wink. "Big fan."

That sent the teen off in as much of a tizzy as the girl, joining her to answer questions and show her around. Gordon simply observed, helping people find places to sit, checking injuries, but mostly watching to make sure everything went smoothly.

Now that he had a family to protect, there was no way he was going to lose them, so when his eyes met Scott's as he stood overlooking the small crowd, Gordon saw mutual understanding.

No one messed with the Tracys.


End file.
